


Global Warming

by Bunnymunds_Den



Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Angst, Biting, Blood, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mild S&M, Near Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-04
Updated: 2014-02-24
Packaged: 2017-12-10 08:50:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 115,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/784166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bunnymunds_Den/pseuds/Bunnymunds_Den
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack Frost has a problem. It’s only early spring, he should be able to get in another snowstorm before Easter, but his powers seem to be failing him. What’s worse, the weather is unseasonably warm. Hot, in fact. When Bunnymund suddenly collapses from heatstroke six days before his holiday, with Jack the only one who can help, two things are made clear; 1) That this is more than just a heat wave and 2) That Jack and Bunny’s relationship may be more than just a rocky friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which Bunnymund Schools Jack in Easter Egg Painting and Guardian Math

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written as a tumblr RP between myself and just_another_jack. Jack and I decided to edit it and post it to a wider readership, so I am working on merging the two points of view into a single story, which will take me some time. Chapters should come weekly until I catch up to where we currently are in the RP. Enjoy and please comment!
> 
> P.S - There will be explicit scenes depicting intercourse between a human man and a rabbity-looking alien later in the story. You have been warned.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bunny doesn't like it when someone disables his sentinels. He likes it even less when said someone turns out to be Jack Frost. Though his method of entry leaves much to be desired. Jack has come with good reason. His powers are failing him and he doesn't know why. Perhaps Bunny can shed a little light on the subject?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter doesn't really have anything offensive in it, unless of course you campaign for egg golem rights...

It wasn’t exactly easy to get into the Warren without permission. In fact, it was almost impossible. Jack Frost had always challenged the impossible, however, and he found himself stuffing his hands into the pocket of his hoodie while he strolled through the beautiful scenery. He was sure he would be discovered soon enough, and when he was, he would likely have a not-so-thrilled Pooka on his hands… especially because he had frozen over some of the giant sentinel eggs again… Oops.

Elsewhere within the warren, the warm sun which filtered through the magically enchanted ceiling soothed Bunnymund’s tired… well, _everything_. Easter was coming in only six days and he had been flat out for over two weeks already. He was presently taking a short rest to recharge before his final push to finish up before the big day. He languidly lay on the ground, letting the prevalent peace of the Warren seep into his being. In an instant of _blissful abandon_ , he rolled and twisted his body in the cool grass, just enjoying the moment. His face was serene, ears flopping this way and that as he flattened the vegetation beneath him. He knew anyone who saw him now would think him silly, behaving in such a rabbit-like manner, but he was alone, so he didn’t care.

At least, he _thought_ he was alone. 

Bunnymund suddenly froze mid-roll and sat bolt upright. Something was _wrong._ He had felt a brief flash of alarm from his sentinels, and then _nothing_. That shouldn’t happen. He was linked to the sentinel golems… he could _always_ feel them… but now he couldn’t. He could, however, feel something _else_. He felt the air around him getting _colder_. Without needing any other clues, the Pooka knew  _exactly_  what had happened to his stone egg golems… Jack Frost. A slow dread seeped into his mind as he wondered how long Jack had been there… Had he _seen?_

Covering his embarrassment with an angry facade, Bunny spun around to confront the encroaching Frost Sprite. “Jack! What’d ya do ta my sentinels?!”

“What makes you think  _I_ did anything?” he asked, chuckling under his breath, facing away from Bunny as though he'd been attempting to sneak away without being seen. Jack shrugged his shoulders and turned to face the Pooka only after he’d answered. He tilted his eyes upwards and in the direction of the bright green he knew he would find staring down at him. “For all you know it was some  _other_  winter spirit.”

Bunnymund stood chest to chest with Jack, or as close to it as he could when Jack’s face was only slightly above chest level on him. His nostrils flared in anger. “The  _only_ winter spirit drongo enough ta come inta  _my_  Warren ‘an muck around with  _my_ sentinels this close ta Easter is  ** _you!_** ” he snapped.

Jack pulled his hands out of his pockets, and reaffirmed his grip on his staff instead. Just in case - although he doubted that he would be fighting Bunnymund today. In fact, he was sure that the Herald of Spring was far too busy painting eggs to pick fights. It was for that exact reason that Jack came to torment the other Guardian. What better time of year to poke fun at him than the time of year that he was most busy? He was probably already on edge, Jack just had to nudge him lightly to get him shouting Aussie profanities. And heck, if he wasn’t going to shout profanities, at least he’d have the chance to hang out with him. Maybe get Bunnymund to tell him an interesting story or two. When he was done poking fun at him, that is. “Why don’t you go back to playing in the grass?” Jack teased, hoping to get more of a rise out of his fellow Guardian. 

So he _had_ seen. It took all Bunny’s reserves of patience to not fly off the handle at Jack’s comment. _Playing!_ _Him?_ Did the larrikin seriously think he was _playing?_ Relaxing a bit, _maybe_. But _playing?_  The only 'playing' here was Jack. He knew Jack was trying to pick a fight and he was _not_ in the mood. “Wha’ d’ya want, Frost?” he growled menacingly.

Jack shook his head at what he thought was an overreaction to a minor prank. “What do you need those big old statues _for_ anyway? Easter? Don't worry, they’ll be _fine_  by then.” That being said, Jack was a little bit intimidated by the way the Pooka seemed so furious. It had been uncalled for, for the winter sprite to freeze those eggs but… It also had been _playful._ He hadn’t meant it to be this infuriating.

Bunny’s eyes narrowed at Jack. The question annoyed him, as the answer should have been  _obvious_  and he didn’t have time to waste on pointless questions. “They’re _supposed_  to keep out  _unwanted_  guests! Now...” he growled, leaning in so close that their noses were nearly touching. "What. D'ya. Want. _Frost?!"_

Maybe Jack was a little _too_ fond of bickering with the Pooka. He did his best not to flinch back when the other Guardian snapped at him. In fact, he stood tall, and he answered the question he was presented. “I just came to say 'hi', Cottontail! Why  _else_  would I visit you this close to Easter? Do you think I’m here to _ruin_ it or something?” He leaned against his staff then with a confident smile. “No blizzards this year! I  _promise_.” 

Just when Jack thought Bunnymund may snap at him, when he could feel the breath coming from the Easter Bunny against his face, an idea suddenly occurred to the rabbit-man. He knew how to keep the mishievous sprite busy for a bit. His expression softening ever-so-slightly, which surprised Jack, he stalked back over to where he’d been laying and gathered up his paintbrush and a half-finished egg he had left there. Jack leaned into a more upright position, letting the staff fall into the crook of his elbow, and watched carefully while Bunny plucked a powder blue egg from the throngs wandering the Warren grounds.

Bunny removed another paintbrush from his bandolier and, with one last wistful look at the tamped down grass, sauntered back over to Jack, grabbed him by the wrist and slapped the paint brush into his hand. With a self-satisfied smirk, he held the light blue egg out to him. “If ya insist on droppin’ in on me when Ah’m this busy, ya can at _least_ make yerself useful,” he decreed. He then settled himself down in the grass and gave the Guardian of Fun an expectant look. Jack curled his boney fingers around the brush and looked down at the way the stem glistened. “Useful?” He accepted the egg into his hand and smirked. He had a feeling this was more to keep him out of trouble than to make him ‘useful’.

Jack met the expectant look by taking a few strides closer. He crossed his ankles and then sat down criss-cross style beside him in one swift motion. Looking at the brush, he wrinkled his nose. He didn’t even see paint anywhere… what was he supposed to _do_ with it? He turned the light blue egg over in his hand and tilted his gaze closer to Bunny, to see what  _he_ was painting. Even as he did, however, he was met with the mystery of how it could be done _without_ paint. There were no jars and the brush appeared clean, and yet Bunny's strokes were indeed forming the image of a sunset wrapping around the shell. 

Maybe it was just something along the lines of magic? He shot a glance up at Bunny again, and then down to the egg and brush in his hand. Well if he was going to try to make a mark on the egg even without the ‘paint’, he needed to do so when the Pooka wasn’t looking. After all, if it _didn’t_ work Jack didn’t want to look like an idiot. He waited until he thought Bunny had looked away, before he flicked the brush over the egg. To his great relief, it did leave behind a thin white trail of paint. A little, almost childlike smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Secretly, Bunnymund watched Jack out of the corner of his eye. He seemed a bit confused, which Bunny had expected and also found rather amusing, but he had  _also_  expected him to ask for some paint. So, when he'd glanced away for a moment to switch to a thinner brush, he was surprised to find that Jack had managed to add a streak of white without any instruction. The ancient rabbit made a surprised ‘ _Hmph_ ’ and smirked, still not looking directly at Jack. 

“I’ve never done this before,” Jack admitted, trying to decide what to paint. To be fair, he didn’t think this egg would be used in Easter. He was fairly confident it would be painted over or tossed aside. That was the logic he used when he began to trail a white, slender curl along the shell, which led down the center of the egg.

Until, that is, he mentioned that he’d never done this before. Of course he’d never done this before. It’s not every day you get to paint eggs with magic brushes while sitting next to the Easter Bunny in his own hidden Warren. Unless he meant… 

“Jack, are ya sayin’ ya’ve  _never_  painted before?” he asked, incredulous. Painting was such a central part of his own life that he found the idea that someone who had been around as long as Jack had never actually picked up a brush, “ _Rediculous!_  Did yer parent’s honestly  _never_  teach ya ta do this?”

Jack could almost hear the upset in Bunny’s voice when he asked if Jack had never painted before. He couldn’t  _remember_  painting at any point in his life… but that wasn’t to say he hadn’t. He knew with _certainty_ that he had never painted an  _egg_ before. “Why would they have? I grew up in a place where we drew in the dirt, and played with sticks. When would we have had money for paint?”

The winter spirit had effectively caught Bunny’s  _full_  attention. He felt this was a special moment for Jack. A person learning to paint, to an artist like Bunnymund, was a most momentous occasion. He watched closely every stroke and line the young man added to his work, committing each to his very, very long memory. He had to admit, for his  _very_  first time, Jack was doing an amazing job.  _Must be all that time makin’ frost designs on windows_ , he mused to himself,  _The little boofhead has an artist’s soul._

As Jack worked, he frowned. “There’s actually a reason why I came here,” he began, “I had a question about this whole ‘Guardian’ thing.” The more he focused on the egg, the slower his words came out, and he had to pause in a moment to chuckle at himself. “Well, you know, if you’ve got time in your busy schedule to answer a question or two. Having all this fun with eggs must be  _very tiring_.” To prove his point, Jack extended the egg out to Bunny. Upon it he had painted a sloppy snowflake, and a few dabs of paint made it complete. What could he say? Once a winter spirit, always a winter spirit. He wasn’t making a blizzard this year, so he had to do his part to bring snow to Easter _somehow_ , right?

Aster had been so surprised by Jack’s admission that he’d almost missed the rest of what he’d said. He shook his head to clear it, still aghast that someone as old as Jack had never painted and told him, “It can be tirin’, yeah. That’s why I was  _tryin’_  ta relax a bit when ya dropped in.” He carefully took hold of Jack’s egg. Rotating it this way and that to inspect every little detail, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the oddly oblong snowflake at the center of the design.  _Leave it ta Jack,_  he thought. Remembering that there had been a ‘ _sort of’_  question in what Jack had been saying, he asked, “Wha'd ya wanna know about the Guardians?”

 Jack watched as his work was inspected. He felt like it was _he_ who was being judged, not the egg. He nodded his head. “Yeah… I’ve been thinking a lot lately about something Pitch said,” he began. He turned his attention away from that egg, and instead was spinning the paintbrush in his hands. “Back at Tooth Palace… he said something about how if children don’t believe in you, you get weaker.” He looked away from the brush then, and back at Bunnymund. “And I saw that for myself, when you and Tooth lost your believers. She couldn’t fly—you turned ‘cute’—Even North got weaker…” Jack frowned. “Kids…  _no one_ ever believed in me. My powers never changed, but… now…”

“Ye’re worried ya don’t have enough believers?” he asked, although the question was rhetorical. Looking up from the egg, Bunny could see the worry in Jack’s expression. Jack wanted to take comfort in the green eyes that he was now looking at. Eyes full of  _hope_ , eyes that reflected second chances and rebirth. He figured if  _any of the Guardians_ could help him figure out what to do, it would be  _this_  one. Bunnymund was a figure of perseverance, even in the darkness. Wasn’t he? 

The Pooka gently placed the wintry decorated oval in the grass along with the one he’d just finished and scooped up two more eggs, handing one off to Jack. “Ya can change the color ye’re brush paints just by thinkin’a the color ya want,” he informed Jack off-handedly as the completed eggs tottered off to rejoin the others milling about near the tunnels. Bunnymund bent to his work, tracing a fine lace-like pattern across the pink and gold egg he held as he considered how to approach the complicated topic. “As for yer question…Ya’ve been a Guardian for almost a year now. Ah can’t believe no one’s told ya this yet…” he sighed in annoyance. “Ya don’t have a lot of believers yet, which makes the one’s ya  _do_  have very important.” He continued to paint as he spoke, finishing that egg quickly and snagging another that was wandering past. 

Biting down on his lip, Jack continued, “Are my powers  _supposed_ to get weaker? Now that I’m a Guardian? Because I think they might be.” There were things he used to be able to do effortlessly, that now he could not. One such task was bringing snow everywhere, and  _keeping it there_. For some reason, lately, he was having trouble accomplishing that task in some places. Places where it shouldn’t have been an issue. The only explanation he could come up with was that, as a Guardian, his powers now relied upon his believers. If that was the case, Jack only had a few. He didn’t have nearly as many as the other Guardians.

“Depends. When ye’re a Guardian an’ ya lose believers, the amount ye’re powers are depleted relates _directly_ ta how many believers ya had _before_ ya lost one. Meanin’ if ya have a hundred believers an’ ya lose one, ya lose about one percent’a yer power, but if ya only have ten believers, then losin’ one loses ya ten percent’a yer power instead.” Again he switched to another egg. Years of practice gracing him with precision and speed, he finished each in less than thirty seconds’ time. This also meant he could easily both paint and talk without the quality of his work suffering for it. 

“Here’s where it gets complicated,” Aster continued. “See, once ya’ve  _had_  one hundred believers, ya  _need_  that many ta be at full strength. The more believers ya get, the more ya need ta keep, but the trade off is that losin’ one is less damagin’ the more ya have.” He finally looked up at Jack then and asked, “Are ya followin’ me?”

Jack had come here looking for answers to his questions about Guardianship. He hadn’t realized the answer was going to be so obvious. He tried to piece the parts of logic together. The more believers you have, the stronger you are… that made sense of course. The less you have the more important it was to keep them, that also made sense… What didn’t make sense was the concept that his powers growing weaker had something to do with one of those children forgetting him. He could count his believers on his  _fingers_ , and it made him bite his lip.

And then it hit Bunny what Jack had been implying by his question. Face showing both concern and comprehension, the rabbit cocked his head a bit. “Ya said ye’re powers are gettin’ weaker… Ya haven’t lost any believers, have ya?”

“I don’t think so…” Jack began, “I mean, I don’t think you could get Jamie to quit believing if you begged him… and the others…”

Jamie’s friends had been there. As far as he knew, they were the only believers he had. Jamie and his little sister, Sophie. The twins, Caleb and Claude; The brunette girl Pippa; her neighbor, Monty, and then Cupcake… Jack would have to learn what her  _real name_  was sometime.

That was it. Seven children. To lose one of them would, according to Bunny’s logic, affect like fifteen percent of his powers… and that made him cringe. What made him more upset was the ultimate truth of it. “…You think one of them stopped believing in me?” Was that really the only explanation? He looked down at the egg in his hand, and at the brush, but for the moment he was only motivated to draw a frowny face.

He took a deep breath and tried not to draw sad faces all over the egg, though. It probably wouldn’t help Easter much. Instead he drew what he knew to be a fairly common pattern on the pale green egg. A pink wavy line, a row of light yellow dots, and alternated that pattern down it. It was mindless, to an extent, because his thoughts were on those children.

It broke his heart to think one of them had forgotten him so fast. He liked to think he was an impact on him - heck he’d even visited them this last winter! “Maybe I should go see them again…” he murmured, and then nodded his head. “Yeah, my magic is getting weaker, sort of. I mean, that or we’re just having an absurdly warm Spring this year.”

Jack was sort of amazed by the paintbrush. “Did you make these?” he asked, hoping to an extent to distract himself momentarily from the unhappy tightness in his chest. “Brushes, I mean. They’re pretty… neat.”

Feeling suddenly prideful, Bunny straightened up a bit and grinned in a smug way. “They’re mah own invention. The bristles are mah own fur an' Ah enchanted ‘em ta paint whatever color ya…” he paused for a moment, catching on that Jack was trying to change the subject. He waved a paw dismissively and said, “Nevermind the brushes! Ah’m not sayin’ ya _lost_ a believer, Jack. Ah’m _askin’_ if ya did.” 

Jack cracked a smile when Bunny began to go off about the brush. He was easy to distract, it seemed. Jack would likely commit that to memory. He didn’t know why he’d asked if Bunnymund had made the brush… who else would have? He tilted the end up to admire the bristles just a little bit when he said it was made from his own fur. How strange… was his fur  _enchanted_  or something? Of course the distraction only lasted a moment. He supposed it didn’t matter how he distracted the Pooka, he would eventually figure out he had been distracted in the end.

Bunnymund released yet another completed egg, set down his brush and turned to Jack. “Are ya _sure_ yer powers are weaker?” he asked, “Have ya looked inta other reasons ya can’t get the snow ta stay? Ah mean, consider what ya just said yerself. It’s been unseasonably warm this last month. Ah’m really not convinced it has anythin’ ta do with _you_.”

Jack took the words to heart. Maybe it wasn’t his magic? Maybe it really  _was_  just the weather. But in spite of this news, the teen still looked so crestfallen that Bunny’s heart went out to him. He sighed, casting a resigned look at the thousands of still unpainted eggs carpeting the warren. He was going to have to pull an all-nighter to finish on time, but this was important. He wanted to help Jack and, to be honest, he wanted to know what was going on as well. His gaze drifted to the plantlife in his warren. The vegetation was looking rather limp in the eighty degree heat filtering down from the surface. It was wearing Bunny out, making it harder to paint. If it was this hot  _below_  ground, how hot was it  _up there?_  They  _had_  to do something about this.

The rabbit laid a reassuring hand on Jack’s shoulder, locked eyes with the winter sprite and asked, “Ya wanna go talk ta the kids, Jack? See if we can figure this out?” 

“Really?” He asked, a little surprised that the  _Easter Bunny_  was willing to take a break from his work this close to his given holiday. It was a little suspicious, even. Jack raised both of his brows at him, absolutely floored by the offer. He could hardly look away from the brilliant green eyes that were looking at him—maybe  _through_  him—but his heart flipped over in his chest with a burst of newfound hope.  _Maybe_ , he hoped,  _Maybe Bunny can help me figure this out._

It wasn’t that Jack _wanted_ to torment Bunny. _Really!_  But just because he didn’t make it blizzard, that didn’t mean he didn’t have work to do. He more to the world than just snow. Even Spring was supposed to be  _a little chilly_. Not to mention the heat was spreading to places that were _meant_ to have cold weather. There was a reason for each season. They came together in a balance. Even someone who was a Herald of Spring, even  _Bunnymund_ , would know that Jack Frost was more than just a trickster. He was part of the balance that made the world operate. Maybe that was what made it important enough for Bunny to put painting on the backburner?

He set down the egg he’d been painting on its little spindly legs and watched it scamper off. They didn’t seem to like operating as individuals… He then pushed himself up into a standing position, sort of springing as he did onto one foot. He used that momentum to sway, as he considered it. “Yeah,” he decided, and he even went so far as to extend his hand downwards, offering Bunny a hand up. “I’d like that a lot.” 

“Alright, Mate,” Aster concluded, “We need ta find out why the weather’s gone all wonky. Ah don’ like this one bit.” He collected his brushes, including the one Jack had been using and tucked them safely away in his bandolier. He then made to stand, but paused upon seeing a hand hovering near his face. 

Cocking an eyebrow at Jack in surprise, Bunnymund considered for a moment before gripping his hand. Not that he actually  _needed_  the help but, to him, accepting the proffered hand was akin to telling Jack that he was appreciated and trusted. Why was it so important to him that Jack know that? Perhaps because he was still so new to being a Guardian? That was what the Pooka  _told_  himself at any rate. In truth, he had been taking every opportunity he  _could_  to show Jack he was trusted, when he wasn’t trying to resist throttling him, that is. He wasn’t even fully aware he was doing it.

It had been going on since last Easter, when Bunnymund had basically thrown Jack’s trust in, and allegiance to, the Guardians back in his face and told him to nick off. He had jumped to the conclusion that Jack had made a deal with Pitch to get his teeth. He knew now that no betrayal had ever been intended and he deeply regretted what he’d said. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that the repeated gestures of trust were less to show Jack that he trusted him and more to show him that he could trust the foolish old rabbit. 

Jack was thankful when Bunny took his hand. Perhaps it was because he had spent so long trying to earn his friendship. Of all the Guardians, Bunnymund was the hardest to get to know, it seemed. He was able to hold grudges for what seemed to be  _forever_. Even that day he had given Jack a hard time about the blizzard of ’68, and was concerned he had come to ruin Easter again… And he truly had no intention to. Bunny, in Jack’s opinion, was his friend. He wanted to be trusted. He wanted to make him feel comfortable around him, because  _he wasn’t a bad person_. Jack Frost _was_ a trickster, and a prankster… but  _mean?_  That just wasn’t him.

He knew it would be a long process. He’d broken Bunnymund’s trust when he’d let Easter fail last year, when he’d lost Baby Tooth and come out with just the golden vial of his memories… but he wanted to make that up to him. He simply did not know how. That was why when he offered him his hand, he liked the paw that wrapped around it. It made him feel like he was just one step closer to being trusted again, to having the Guardian of Hope  _believe in him_ again.

Once on his feet, Bunny brushed bits of grass from his coat and frowned as clumps of fur dropped with it. He suddenly found himself wanting a brush as he was certain he looked a mess with multiple lengths of fur and patches hanging loose. Manually removing one such patch, he snorted in disgust and dropped it on the ground. “Gonna have ta clean that up later,” he sighed. With a nod of his head toward the tunnel which led to Burgess, Bunnymund huffed, “C’mon. Let’s go find yer believers and have ourselves a chinwag.” 

When he saw a tuft or two of fur fall, Jack raised an eyebrow. It was kind of… weird, to say the least. He hadn’t really considered that Bunnymund had a winter and summer coat. Of course, any other animal would, so why wouldn’t he? He looked down at it once more, before a tiny smirk came to his lips. “I don’t know, I mean, are you gonna  _shed_  all over me, Cottontail?” he teased, although the Pooka just rolled his eyes and took off towards the tunnels without commenting on it and at a speed far less than usual. The heat taking its’ toll on one who still sported a heavy, if rapidly shedding, winter coat.

Jack gripped the staff in his hand and zipped behind him, easily keeping up if only because Bunnymund was moving slowly, for him anyway. Jack thought he was likely doing so because he didn’t want to ‘lose’ him, unaware of the fatigue the Pooka was feeling.

Thinking back on what Bunny had said before leaving, Jack asked, “What is a  _chinwag_?” He’d come to accept a lot of the slang that came from the Pooka’s mouth. It wasn’t always hard to figure out, but that didn’t change the fact that he had no idea what a chinwag was.


	2. In Which Bunnymund Never Should Have Left the House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bunnymund wants to help Jack, but between the elevated temperatures, his heavy winter coat and exhaustion from not sleeping or eating much in the last few weeks, he's the one who's going to need help...

Spring was usually Bunny’s favorite season. The sky filling with the songs of the birds once again, flowers popping up from the ground and leaf buds appearing on the trees, baby animals being born or poking their heads out of their dens for the first time. New life, rebirth and hope everywhere you look. A feeling of renewal flooding the body with every breath. A time to stretch, relax and just enjoy being alive. And the air was so _refreshing!_ Not too cold, not too _hot._ Just the right temperature…

But not today. The temperature today was _far_ from right. The closer they got to the surface, the _hotter_ it became and Bunny was already _very_ uncomfortable. Jack followed his lead through the tunnels. He really couldn’t navigate them. Honestly once or twice he’d become lost in them… but luckily if he was ever truly lost he knew that Bunny would find him. Even if he would be angry at Jack for intruding. Aster slowed to a walk and looked over his shoulder, Jack coming up beside him as he did so. On a normal day, he would do this as a tease during one of their races. Bunny would allow Jack to just barely catch up, then chuckle and bolt away at top speed. Today there would be no racing through the tunnels. Today the Pooka was certain to _lose_ should he challenge Jack to a race. He wasn't about to tell Jack, but he and the heat were not on good terms.

As such, Bunny was rather grumpy when Jack asked again what a chinwag was. It seemed the persistant little pest was planning to be the King of stupid questions with obvious answers today. A brief scowl crossed his face and he explained that, “A chinwag is a talk, Jack. Cause yer chin, ya know,” he shrugged, “wags.” It really wasn't that complicated and Jack wasn't stupid. He should have been able to figure it out on his own instead of pestering the irritable Pooka.

They neared the end of the tunnel now and Jack warned in annoyance,“It’s hot up there.” It was hardly spring, yet it was too hot. Summer-time hot, and it made Jack uncomfortable. He wasn’t normally one to sweat, but he found himself doing so from time to time in the heat. Since the heat-wave began, he’d even considered exchanging his hoodie for a thinner sweater, because it was so impossibly warm in the fleece material. It didn’t matter how much Jack tried to bring cool to it either. It was far too warm for snow, it just melted into rain. He tried to bring cool breezes, which were a nice relief to the children who played outside, but even the breeze was warm. It was among the reasons why he thought he was losing some of his magic. 

Finally under Burgess, Bunny created an opening into the woods right near Jack’s pond and a wave of heat invaded the tunnels. The Pooka cringed. “Crikey! Ya aint kiddin’! It’s gotta be over a hundred degrees up here!” he gasped, as he hopped sluggishly into the open. Worse yet was the fact that they were in the shade. They hadn’t even stepped into the sun yet... Aster was dreading that moment. “This _isn’t_ from losin’ believers, Jack,” he said with certainty. “Yer powers weakenin’ wouldn’t cause _this_ crook weather! You’d have buckley’s chance’a makin’ it snow in this heat!” he assured the frost sprite.

There wasn't a lot _most_ people could do in this elevated temperature, including Bunny. Only out a few moments and already he was hotter than a tin can in a furnace. He tried to spread his ears as flat as he could, the added surface area allowing the blood passing through them to cool faster, then he opened his mouth and, tongue peaking out, he panted heavily. Bunny hadn’t thought that doing so was a _bad_ idea. It was his body’s _natural_ way to get cool in this form, since rabbits don’t sweat. Hadn’t thought so, that is, till he remembered _who_ he was with.

It was wildly inappropriate to laugh. Jack’s eyes glided over the ‘kangaroo’s’ body. No, to laugh would have been  _awful_. It would undo the entire tie of friendship that he had been forming this long. It would anger him. It would embarrass him.

 _Please_ , Jack told himself  _Do not laugh._ He cracked a grin as he watched. Bunny  _kept doing it_. “You’re…” he snorted, but covered his mouth to hide it. “You’re  _panting,_ ” he began. Panting. E Aster Bunnymund was  _panting,_  with his _tongue_ hanging out. He looked like a tired puppy on a hot summer day.

 _Do not laugh. Do not laugh. Do not -_ the amused teen turned away from Bunny, putting his back to him. He made an involuntary raspberry with his lips behind his hand. He began to chuckle.  _No stop! Don’t do it! Just stop laughing. Maybe you can get away with a chuckle but -_ it was too late. He lost it, he began to laugh almost hysterically. He doubled over at his waist, one arm pressed into his gut while the other continued to cover his mouth, trying to hide the laughter. After a moment he raised his hand from his mouth, and turned back to Bunnymund.

“S-sorry! I-it’s not-“ Jack snorted. “It’s n-not even f-f-f-funny!” he choked out through his laughter.

It took Jack no less than three minutes of awkward laughter to finally catch his breath and stand back up - and when he did he had  _tears in his eyes_. “Okay-okay-I’m sorry,” he offered. “I’m sorry— _seriously sorry,_ ” he repeated for the hundredth time. He _was_ sorry, especially if Bunny got truly mad at him, but… It had been  _cute_.

It had also been bad timing. It was too damn _hot_ , Bunnymund was _shedding_ to beat the band, he could scarcely _breathe_ and he was under _too much pressure_ with Easter just a few days away. Add to that the fact that he was taking time _away_ from preparations for said holiday to help the guy who was now _laughing at him_ and he couldn’t _help_ but lose his temper.   
  
Still panting because, let’s face it, it was hot, Bunny glared daggers at Jack. “ _ **BELT. UP!!**_ ” he snapped harshly, between labored breaths. “Just.. _shut ya gob!_ … Ah can’t… help it!… Ah… don’t… sweat!”

Jack could hardly hear the shouting over his own laughter, and honestly why would he  _care?_  He _knew_  that Bunny was going to get mad at him from the start. He’d  _tried_  to keep himself from laughing at him, he had, but it had been to no avail.

The outburst didn’t last long, the Pooka having already spent what little energy he had. He cast another furious look at Jack - and oh, it _was_ a ridiculous countenance he cast, anger crossed with panting - but his expression soon softened. He hated himself for yelling in the first place. Why couldn’t he just control his temper? He used to be able to. Long ago.

That was before he met North and had, on repeated occasions, been forced to partake of chocolate in order to get the Guardians out of one dire situation or another. Chocolate, which had a tendency to cause an _unpredictable_ physical transformation in Pooka, also caused _predictable_ changes. These changes, emotional in nature, were _far_ more disconcerting to him. Each time he ate chocolate, he became a bit more _illogical_. A bit more… emotionally driven and, unlike the _physical_ changes which went away after he came down from the transformation, the _mental_ changes tended to linger indefinitely.

And now he was discovering that he had other reasons for regretting his actions as his head began to pound and a wave of dizziness washed over him. He bent over, paws gripping his knees, and panted all the heavier from the experience. This was _not good_. Normally he had a few months to lose his winter coat and adjust _gradually_ to the rising temperatures, but it had gone from forty degree days with snow on the ground to triple digit temperatures _literally_ overnight. Another dizzy spell struck and he knew… _Heatstroke_ was setting in.

Looking rather the worse for wear and with vision _blurring_ , he half-dragged himself into the sun and over to the edge of the pond, where he promptly dropped to the ground and submerged his head in liquid relief… then he just lay there, head still under water, not moving.

It wasn’t until he was standing and wiping his eyes that Jack noticed Bunny had wandered over to the pond. _His_  pond. He called it _his_ because it was his home. He’d  _lived there_  for a number of years. He honestly preferred it to be frozen. He felt like it was safer that way… no one could stumble in and drown, but he couldn't freeze it right now. Although, it being frozen hadn't saved _him_ from drowning... He looked out over the trees that surrounded it and sighed. He did not hold any resentment towards this pond… it was just a pond. It held a number of memories for him now, some good and some less.

Glancing over at Bunny again, Jack wondered what was taking him so long to get his drink. “Thirsty then?” he questioned. Sure, it was _hot_ … but was this long of a drink _necessary?_ He stepped closer and realized he wasn’t getting a drink _at all._ A bit of panic flittered into Jack’s heart. “Cottontail..?” he asked, voice laced with concern, but Bunny didn't respond - just continued to lay there with his head submerged. Jack gasped,“Hey!  _Bunny_!” The frost sprite flew to his side, casting his staff aside and tugging at his shoulders in an attempt to lift him. “Hey, listen! I  _know_ you don’t like my jokes… but you don't have to drown yourself!” He didn’t know _why_ he was trying to be funny. This was _scary_.

It took a little longer than he expected to finally drag the Pooka's head and shoulders away from the edge of the water - This sucker was  _heavy -_ and, although he was sopping wet, Jack leaned down to try and listen to his heart. “Hey-Hey, Bunny! W _ake up!_ ” he demanded. _Good lord_ , had this stemmed from being _too hot?_  

Bunnymund was dimly aware of a voice. Of someone shouting his name and of being heaved bodily from the water. A small corner of his mind, where delirium had set up camp, was now crying out to _return_ to the pond. Fever-induced images swam through his mind… his home-world.., his village.., his people.., his Mate.., they all floated about his consciousness in ghostly half-formed smudges of color and feeling. Even his sweet little girl, just beginning her life, curled up asleep in his arms… so like young Sophie that day in the Warren last Easter.

Then they were _leaving him_. His child _ripped_ from his arms and sucked up - up and away in a whirling vortex which seemed _composed_ of a few fleeting years of joy, followed by horror and a lifetime of sorrow and regret. The delirious part of his mind _laughed_ at him. _Prodded_ him, Told him the pond was where he _belonged_. _How dare you survive while all you care about dies,_ it goaded him. _Go. Go… back to the water. Back to your family. That is where they are… That is where **you** should be…_

Jack thought he was going to have a heart attack. “Come on -  _please_  open your eyes?! I won’t laugh at you for panting anymore, I  _swear!_ Just... don’t be _dead_ , okay?” he begged, shaking Bunny in an effort to wake him.

That voice again, that  _other_  voice, the one from  _beyond_  Aster's mind - it was yelling again and it was starting to annoy him. It was growing louder, more insistent. More… _frightened?_  No. That couldn’t be right. Everyone who cared enough for him to fear his death was in the pond… waiting for him.  _Right?_  It must have been their voices he was hearing. Calling him to the great beyond, where they might be reunited. 

Not knowing what to do was tormenting Jack. He didn’t even know CPR. Did CPR even  _work_  on rabbits? Pookas? Kangaroos? Whatever. He leaned over Bunny, pressing ever so slightly against his chest. He was pretty sure he had heard his heart beating, and he just  _really_ wanted him to _breathe._ He pressed a second time, a little harder. “Wake up  _now_ , this isn’t funny..!” he growled. Getting angry was unreasonable, but it was better than the alternative.   
  
The Pooka was beyond caring about the weight on his chest. His family was waiting for him and he _wanted_ to go to them. He wanted to be with them, at long last. To spend enternity, not alone, but in the loving presence of those he'd left behind. He'd secretly wanted this since the day they'd died, but to kill himself would have been to dishonor them all. So he'd soldiered on, the last of his kind, the living memory of the Pookan Brotherhood. Now that the end seemed near, through no design of his own, he saw no reason to fight it. He would be with the others. With his parents, his Aunts and Uncles, his sisters and his brother... his Mate and his daughter. If he was with them the nightmares would end. If he was with them he wouldn't hurt anymore. If he was with them... he could be _happy_. He let himself drift, feeling the pull of death as his heart slowed, breathing stopped… he was slipping and he wanted to fall…

It was in that very moment, when his chest stilled after a last shuddering, watery breath, that Jack realized Bunny was dying. He was dying  _this close to Easter_  and it was  _all his fault_. He choked on another gasp. _“BUNNY!”_ he called again, no longer trying to cheer himself up with jokes, anger dissipating in the face of raw fear. Jack Frost was afraid. It was a deep, stinging fear that gripped his heart, that coursed through his whole body. It made him shiver despite the heat, and it made his eyes shine ever so slightly with unshed tears. "BUNNY! _WAKE UP!"_ he cried, shaking him again, with more violence this time.

 _Go away_ , Aster commanded in his sluggish mind. It was that other voice again. It, no  _he_  - Bunny realized - just wouldn’t give up. And now that voice sounded  _desperate_  on a whole other level. He could  _hear_  the tears he could not see in it. It pulled at the edges of his consciousness, made him want to  _stop_  the hurt. But he wanted his  _own_  hurt to stop as well and he'd been hurting for a _whole lot longer_ , so he continued toward the water in his mind. The other would just have to understand.

Jack didn't know CPR, but not knowing how to do something had never stopped Jack from _trying_ before. How hard could it be? He’d seen it done and he really had no other choice. He stood on his knees beside Bunny’s chest and laced his fingers together, forming a flat surface. He pushed down hard and fast over his heart - or where he damn well  _thought_ his heart was. For all Jack knew Pookas had more than one heart or something crazy like that. “C’mon, _please_ …” he whispered, shoving against his chest a few more times. There was some rhythm behind it, but it wasn’t very steady. Jack’s whole body was _shaking_ , and that put a damper on it.

It was back, the pressure on Bunny's chest. Again and again, he felt a sudden downward force upon him. It was a futile effort to Bunny. He was going home and  _nothing_  would stop him. He could see them now - his people. They were there, the village was there.. his  _family_  was there. They stood with outstretched hands, ready to welcome him home. His little girl, his Tania, who looked so much like him that she could have been his clone, so bright and happy and  _alive,_  held in her mother’s embrace. Her mother's name was Lyra and she was beautiful. Light brown fur with a white patch here and there, her markings... reminiscent of the sun just before the dawn and her eyes... eyes the same blue-green as caribbean sea after a storm, with little flecks of gold sprinkled throughout like floating particles of sand. Bunny wanted to go to her. He wanted to go _home._ So he  _pleaded_  with that voice and it’s owner to just _let him go_. But he  _wouldn’t_ , the owner of that voice. He couldn’t hear the Pooka’s words and he _wouldn’t_  give up. Bunny's heart  _clenched_  in sympathy for that unknown being, but he was so close to them now. Almost there.

When Jack remembered a few chest compressions in that he had to try and help the stupid Pooka _breathe,_ he didn’t hesitate to try. It was a life-saving technique, not a romantic gesture. Bunny wouldn't mind... right? He ran the proceedure through his head. What were the steps? Did it really count the same with a Pooka? Once more, he didn’t even know if this would  _work_  on him, but he didn’t dwell on it. Head back, chin up, mouth open. One cool hand on Bunny’s forehead, resting on the odd markings in his fur, the other on his damp, furry neck, holding his chin in place so _maybe_ he could do this…

It was worth a try. He was so sure it was worth the effort to try. Bunny was the _last._ Jack thought about that when he connected his lips over the Pooka’s mouth, trying his damnedest to blow air into his water-filled lungs. Bunny was the _only_ one, the _last_ of a race. Bunny was the symbol of _hope_. Bunny was proof that even _after_ you’ve hit the bottom, the lowest low, that there was _always_ a reason to go on.

You couldn't get much lower than the Easter Bunny in that moment. He knew he was dying, but he didn't care. He was so tired of being the last of his kind. Tired of having no one to share his life with. Tired of pressing on in spite of the loneliness which ate away at his heart. He was just tired... and he wanted to sleep. To dream of happier days and never wake up. Suddenly, Bunny felt  _lips_ , a mouth over his own. He was hazily aware that the lips belonged to the voice. Who else could it be? Then air was _being forced_  into his lungs, but the water still present was in the way. It made him need to _retch_. To retch and cough and _expel_  the water from his lungs, but he didn’t  _want_  to. He wanted to drift on and so he resisted. 

Jack pulled his lips away... resumed chest compressions… moved his lips back. He was growing more _scared_  and more  _hopeless_. He wasn't ready to give up just yet, but his efforts seemed to be proving useless. “Please, don’t go…” he whispered. “The children  _need you_.”

Reaching out for his Lyra's paw, Bunny smiled. He was  _so close_  - Again the chest compressions -  _So close._  - Again the mouth and the air - A  _hair’s breadth_  further and he would grip his Mate’s hand, pull his family into his arms and never, _ever_  let them go again. But the voice was talking again. "The children  _need_   _you_ ,” it told him. That delirious part of his mind registered the voice’s words and formed a question in response. _What about **you?**_ his delirium whispered back. _Do **you**  need me?_ The inquiry caught Bunnymund’s attention and he paused in his progress toward oblivion. Had he really asked such a question? Why would he? Was the answer really that important?  _Would_  the voice answer? Even though it could not hear him?

Within easy reach of his loved ones, he waited. Torn between the past and the present, the question burning in his mind. He was sure of it now. He  _needed_  to know the answer. Needed to know it before he could go on. The rabbit-man was not aware that he had just unconsciously used the Pookan mind meld on Jack. He  _had_  heard his question, though it was quiet. Weak. Felt more than heard, like the whisper of a butterflies’ wings in the back of his mind, but it was there. What would the answer be?


	3. In Which Jack Learns a Curious Thing About Pookas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bunny's on the verge of death. Jack's on the verge of a mental breakdown, but a curious Pookan power may help to save them both.

_What about **you?** Do  **you** need me? _

Jack actually stopped breathing for half a second. He had just heard it… those words. Only just, but he’d heard them. His stomach flopped. Had he hallucinated that? Did Bunny have the ability to plant thoughts in his head? To Jack that sounded crazy. In that moment he didn’t know if his own mind was asking him the question, or if it truly was the dying Pooka.

He wasn’t used to this, to having someone’s life in his hands. He wasn’t used to it at all, it made him want to vomit. He pulled his lips back off of Bunny’s and rubbed his thumb absently over his forehead. “Please don’t die?” he whispered again, and the first of what would be many tears slipped down the curve of his cheek bone. Though this was starting to feel futile, he didn’t hesitate long. He had to try again, just a little longer… He resumed his attempts at CPR.

It didn't feel to him like it would be enough. There was something else he needed to do, but what? Maybe if he spoke to the voice in his head, it would help? He hardly thought so, but he wanted to answer it anyway. “I _do_ need you,” he squeaked. Not that he would have probably said it to a fully conscious Bunnymund. It was a source of conflict for him. For years no one saw him, and the only people who ever interacted with him were the Pooka and the Sandman and, on occasion, Mother Nature. The Sandman was always busy, always silent, and Mother Nature he saw only a few times a year, but the Pooka? Now and then he raced Jack, bantered with him… He  _saw him_. The blizzard of ’68 happened after that, however, and it destroyed whatever friendship they had begun to build. It made Jack lose what little hope that had been planted in his heart. It made him move on.

But moving on when someone you cared about _hated_ you was a  _lot different_ than moving on when someone you cared about was  _dead_. Jack didn't really _believe_ Bunny could hear him, but speaking to the 'Bunny' in his mind alleviated some of his anxiety, so he tried again, “They need you, the kids need you… The _Guardians_ need you…  _I_ need you _,_ Bunny,” he muttered it against his lips, trying desperately one last time to push air into his lungs.  _“I need you, too.”_

Bunny _did_ hear him. Loud and clear, " _I need you, too."_   That was what the voice had said. It had mentioned others who needed him as well, but _that_ was the important part. The part that both _crushed_ and caused Aster’s heart to _soar_ at the same time. The voice _needed_ him. _Jack_ needed him. Yes… that was who that voice belonged to. _Somehow_ Jack knew what he’d asked and he had answered. Bunny wasn’t sure he _liked_ the answer. It was the one he had _wanted,_ had secretly _craved_ for many, many years. Now that he _knew_ , he wished he hadn’t asked. Accepting it meant he had to give up something _precious_ to him. And this time he had to  _choose_  to do it.

He gazed _longingly_ at his phantom family, waiting expectantly for him to come to them, and so he did, but it was not as they had expected. “Ah’m sorry…” he whispered, hugging his Mate and daughter in a tender embrace as tears traced thin rivulets unnoticed through the fur of his cheeks. “Ah’m sorry, but Ah’m not ready ta go yet. There’s someone who _needs_ me… an’… an’ Ah need him too. Ah can’t stay with you.” Little Tania, bless her heart, gasped and hid her face in the fur of her mother’s shoulder.

Bunny choked back a sob. Oh, how this hurt, but it had to be this way. He had to go back to Jack. However, there was _one thing_ he needed to do before he could go. Something he had not gotten to do when Pitch had taken them from him all those centuries ago. He leaned in slowly and kissed his Mate one _final_ time, breath catching in his throat as he did so. “Good-bye, Lyra, beloved. Ah miss ya more’n ya’ll ever know.” He then did the same with his baby, took a step back, and told them, “Ah’ll come home someday. Wait for me ‘til then.”

He steeled himself and turned away, his daughter’s cries ripping through him. “Ah’m so sorry, Tania. Daddy has ta go,” he whispered forlornly. 

Jack didn't know what was happening within his furry friend's mind. He was focused on what he _thought_ to be his failure and he felt a deep sense of loss and guilt. He was supposed to be a Guardian. They were supposed to protect not only the children, but  _each other_ as well. He had _failed_ to protect Bunny. He sat back on his knees and stared at the still rabbit, trailing his fingers over his arm and nudging it, as if he were just sleeping and could be woken just like that. “You don’t have to go,” he whispered defeatedly. 

Looking back the way he came, Aster searched for the way to return, but the distant light of life was growing dim and hard to see in the encroaching blackness. “What in holy dooly?” Fingers brushed through his fur, a hand nudged his arm and Jack’s voice whispered, “You don’t have to go,” with a sense of finality that Bunnymund did not like one bit. Alarm began to set in as he came to the realization that Jack was giving up. He had stopped trying to bring him back. “NO, JACK!” he cried through the link of the mind meld, which he was now fully aware of. "DON’T GIVE UP! NOT YET!"

Jack didn’t hear him at first. Just stared, sorrowfully, and let his fingers trail down to Bunny’s paw. He was dead? Jack couldn’t stomach that. He squeezed his paw, hoping it would whack his hand away and that Bunny would wake up and call him some kind of crazy name in his oddball dialect. He wanted him to  _do_ something!  _Anything!_ It didn't have to be big. Just some small reason to hope. Bunny was the Guardian of Hope. He could manage to give Jack a little, right? He wasn't  _really_ dead...  _right?_

“ _AH NEED YER_ _HELP!!!_ ” Bunny implored, attempting to mentally _push_ his thoughts to Jack. It shouldn't have been this hard to do and he worried that perchance his would-be saviour couldn't _hear_ him anymore. The link was weak.  _He_  was weak and he was fading fast, unable to return now un-aided. He hurtled himself toward the vanishing light, praying - hoping that Jack had understood him. That he would give it just _one_   _more go_. That was all he needed. 

Jack _had_ heard, but he bit his lip, unsure if he’d imagined it. He was _racked_ with guilt, and he was _scared_ , and he thought he had probably just daydreamed the voice. Jack's thoughts had Bunnymund scared now. The light was a mere pinprick, so faint he couldn’t be sure it was really there. If Jack couldn't accept that the words he was hearing had truly come from Aster, all was lost for him. For the entire Pooka species, in fact. “ _JACK!!!!_ ” he bellowed once more, willing the frost sprite to hear him. “ _AH NEED YOU!!!!_ ” 

Jack’s eyes widened at how _desperate_ that call of his name sounded. So needy, so… _alive._ He caught his breath. “You… _don’t_ have to go…” he repeated his earlier statement, a little shred of _hope_ catching in his voice to replace the despair that had come with it the first time. That little spike, that tiny hint of hope caused Bunny's guiding light to grow a little brighter. He didn't have to go! He  _didn’t!_  Hope was a  _powerful_  thing. Jack just had to  _keep hoping_. As long as he could… 

An echo of Jack's hope bloomed bright within Bunny and he pushed himself to move faster through the void. “That’s right Jackie! Just hold onta that hope, Mate!” he thought-yelled back as he closed the gap between death and life. He could feel himself becomming stronger as hope lit the way and he got closer to that beacon in the dark.

Leaning forward, Jack tried again with the chest compressions. “You could _stay._ I won’t make fun of you for panting…” He tried again, his hopeful, playful self slipping back in through the tears. One..two..three..four. Four compressions and he leaned forward to try once more to _force_ him to breathe, moving his lips down over Bunny’s mouth. He’d be spitting fur for a week, but he didn’t care. It was _worth_ it. He just wanted that spark of life to come back.

With each chest compression, the light before Bunny flashed intensely. Jack’s breath filling his lungs had a similar effect and, after each flash, the light remained a little brighter than before. As he neared it, the light began to change, seeming more like a window. A window through which Bunny could see what was happening… Could see himself. See Jack, working feverishly to save his life. The young man was a sight, all red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Was he really that important to Jack? Had he been missing something that was right there in front of him? And for how long? How long had Jack felt this way?

Jack moved his gaze down to Bunny's chest while he pressed against it. His fingers curled into the fur there while he worked, and he spurred him on, “You can do it… Come back to me, okay? I’m right here.” Just as he returned to his chest compressions, Bunny’s fingers crossed the threshold back into the living world. Instantly, he felt himself being sucked back into his body by the thin tether which had been his only connection to it. The first thing he became aware of was an intense need for air! His eyes snapped open, only to be scrunched closed again as the urge to retch and cough overpowered him.

His body surged from the ground, ejecting what seemed like gallons of water from his beleaguered lungs. It was the most disgusting thing Jack had ever seen, and he stumbled back onto his bottom when it occurred. Don’t get him wrong - Jack was thankful for the idiot being okay, but that was gross. Bunny gasped for air and rolled onto his side so as to avoid aspirating the liquid all over again and he hacked and gasped and hacked and gasped. It seemed an eternity before the heaving stopped. When it finally did, he looked up at Jack, a feeble smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Not bad.., Frostbite,” he panted, the words more of a croak as his throat was raw from coughing. “Not... bad.” 

Jack was pretty sure that he was going to comment on how gross that event had been, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t think of doing  _anything_  after Bunny spoke. The sound of his voice, alive and real, had driven reality home. Bunnymund was okay. He was really,  _really_  okay. Jack was half tempted to touch him, to hug him, but he was afraid he might just break him or something, so he settled for staring at him and pretending his eyes weren’t rimmed with red and tears. He pushed the palms of his hands into them and wiped away the remaining wetness the best he could, before taking a deep breath.

His friend was clearly very upset, Bunny could see that and, though he wanted to reassure him, he was confused by his own feelings. So, instead, he lay there, concern written all over his face, and watched as Jack wiped his eyes. It occurred to the pooka then just how much he hated to see Frostbite cry, more-so than a friend would _normally_ hate it. It was like a wound punched through his own chest. A wound he wanted to heal as quickly as possible.  _When did Ah start makin’ eyes at Jackie?_  he wondered to himself, forgetting about the Pookan mind meld for the moment.

What did it mean to ‘make eyes’ at someone? The thoughts that resonated in Jack’s head did not belong to him, and now he was beginning to think maybe he wasn’t dreaming it. It was like he was  _hearing Bunny_. He shifted into more of a squatting position, sitting on his heels. “Are you okay now?” Jack meant that as a demand more than a question. He needed to be okay, because Jack wasn’t sure he could deal with any more ‘not okay’. 

It shouldn’t have, all things considered, but the question surprised Bunny. Not so much in what Jack said, but in _how_ he said it. It was like he was _commanding_ him to be ok. Eyes closed, Aster focused inward, checking to make certain he was alright. He flexed his paws, stretched out his legs and flicked his ears. He was still panting, still had a headache and he was exhausted, but everything _else seemed_ to be in working order, so he nodded in affirmation. 

“You should go back home," Jack recommended, "We can talk to the kids later…” Or he could just do it on his own. He finally reached out and tried to help the Pooka into a sitting position. “I just…  _what happened_?” He knew part of the answer to that one. Bunny had just… fainted - Into the water. Jack was terrified of it happening again. He couldn’t very well _carry_ him home. He couldn’t even open up the tunnels. His mind swirled with questions. He was so confused, so unsure. "What about Easter? Will it be too hot for you to deliver the eggs? Do you need help on Easter?” came sputtering out of his mouth rapid-fire.

Sitting up now, Aster listened as Jack babbled question after question at him, but was having trouble formulating answers. Weakly holding up a paw, he said, “Whoawhoawhoa... Slow... down there.., mate,” his voice soft… tired. “Ah... gave mahself... heatstroke... an’ picked a... bad time... ta pass out... But Ah'm... gonna be ok... Ah... can’t go home... yet... We’ve still... gotta... figure out... why it’s so... bloody hot out... before Ah... have ta deliver... mah googies...  _Which_... Ah can handle... _mahself,_ ” he added pointedly, in a show of perseverance. 

Jack was  _worried_  about the Easter Bunny. And with good reason! He’d just had a  _stroke_. Clearly a minor one, that Jack of all untrained idiots could help him, but that didn’t make it any less serious. “A  _really bad time_  to pass out…” he confirmed.

“Don’... worry about... carryin’... me either,” Bunny told Jack, having picked up on his earlier thoughts through the link of the mind meld and only now commenting on them. He felt lucky that being a Pooka, he healed a bit quicker than humans. Though he certainly needed a  _lot_ more rest, he felt he should at least be able to manage the short walk to Jamie's house on his own.

That was when Jack finally _voiced_ his confusion. “I didn’t say that out loud.” He was sure of it. He hadn't actually _said_ anything about carrying the huge rabbit. It had been a passing thought, and now it was back, circulating through his mind. Comparing their bodies, the shape, the height, the muscle-to-weight ratio. What he decided was that Bunnymund was taller, bigger, and well built, while Jack was a limp noodle of a teen with no means to carry  _anyone_ of such substantial size.

In order to prove his point, Bunny tucked his feet under himself, intent on getting up and, in doing so, looked down at his drenched persona. He discovered he somewhat resembled a drowned rat, then regretted thinking that, given what had almost happened. He pushed the thought from his mind, lest it upset Jack, but he was too late. “I can  _hear you_ ,” Jack attempted to inform him, but Bunnymund wasn't paying attention and instead insisted, “Ah’m a... lot cooler... now that Ah’m... soaked... ta the skin... Ah can walk.” He rose shakily to his feet, but it proved too soon, nausea and dizziness overtaking him immediately. He staggered toward Jack, who's accusation of crazy mind powers was cut off by his own voice, “Hey! Not so fast!”

Jack stood quickly when he saw Bunny trying to walk and, as he could have predicted, stumbled. Jack planted himself in place and made an attempt to keep the fool-headed Pooka on his feet, which was a valiant effort that resulted in him hugging Bunnymund around his chest and groaning in annoyance. “Oh yes, you’re  _so good_ at walking.” He chuckled though his annoyance and waited where he stood, for Bunny to gather his bearings. “If you blow carrot chunks on me you’ll have a lot more problems than a few frozen sentinels,” he warned. “You don’t even  _know_  what I’m capable of freezing.” 

Bunnymund gave Jack a funny sort of look, as he stood there swaying unsteadily even with his support, panting ever harder from the effort of standing up and with his heart pounding so loud one could hear it from a several feet away without trying. He hadn’t registered most of what Jack had said while he was foolishly getting up, but he did catch the part about hearing him. Then he remembered the mind meld. “Ah… can hear you… too,” he informed him. “Just.. a sec... Ah’ll stop… it.”

He huffed a few times, trying to slow his breathing so that he could focus his mind to close the link, lest something he didn’t want Jack to know crossed it. He felt a pang of regret as he did so. Already he missed being able to feel Jack in his mind. The Pookan mind meld was a very intimate link which allowed him to feel as one with whomever he was linked. He considered briefly leaving a one-way link from Jack to himself open, which was actually quite natural for Pooka, but thought better of it. He had learned long ago that most humans didn’t take well to someone reading their mind and feeling their emotions. 

Jack was actually going to protest his closing the link, but he didn’t quite know why. He kind of  _liked_  being able to hear those thoughts. Plus he still wanted to know what ‘making eyes’ at someone meant. What kind of eyes? Angry eyes? Confused eyes?  _Goo goo eyes?_  Of course he could tell it was gone soon enough because the thoughts in his head became quiet, and calm.

 _Shame,_ Bunny thought, a similar calm now entering his own mind,  _It’s nice ta know how ma Mate is feelin’._  He jerked almost imperceptibly as his own thoughts startled him.  _What am Ah thinkin’? Mate? He’s not ma Mate. Well, he’s ma mate, but he’s not ma_   ** _Mate_ ,** he frowned, at his own thoughts. Why did it bother him that it _wasn't_ true? _  
_

With a little shake of his head to clear it, he refocused on the toothpick holding him up and said, “an’ for yer… information.., Ah didn’t… say Ah had a stroke. Ah said… Ah have _heatstroke.._. Means… mah body’s… too bloody hot an’… it’s effectin’ mah brain... Not sayin’… it aint dangerous. Jus’… not the same thin’.” He put a paw to his head as the splitting headache began to worsen, likely a combination of heatstroke and the mental effort of shutting the lid on the virtual pandora’s box. 

“Heat stroke, stroke, same difference. They wouldn’t call it a stroke if it couldn’t affect your brain or whatever you know… hey… You look kinda sick, are you—!”

Then the first seizure struck.


	4. In Which Jack Uses His Powers in Entirely New Ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seizures are not fun. As his condition steadily worsens in the rising heat, Bunny and Jack have to find a way to cool him off, but is Bunny prepared to ask for the favor he knows only the frost sprite can fulfill?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say thank you to all our readers! You're beautiful and we love you! I also want to apologize for the delay in getting this posted. This chapter was a beast to edit.

With a cry, Bunny collapsed to the ground at Jack's feet, body twisting in on itself and limbs jerking spasmodically. He choked and gasped as his muscles vibrated rapidly at first and then locked up stiff, the only real movement his foot kicking every few seconds. Eyes wide, the Pooka's face was shadowed with fear.

Jack had never in all his 300 years actually seen someone have a seizure. He was pretty sure he knew what it was. He’d snuck into enough movies to see it once or twice on film… but never a _real_ one. It scared him - almost as much as the fainting did and he felt _powerless,_ with nothing to do but stand there and watch the debilitated rabbit quiver.

The seizure only lasted about ten seconds, but it _felt_ like an eternity. It made Bunny delirious and disoriented and raised his body temperature higher still. He had been wrong, he realized as he lay there panting all the more heavily in the aftermath of the attack. The water wasn't enough. He needed to get cool and _fast._ He needed ice...

Glazed emerald eyes regarded Jack with a half-focused look as their owner wheezed dazedly, "If ye're so keen... on freezin' things... Then freeze... ma fur..."

“Freeze your fur…” Jack repeated, kneeling beside him. He couldn’t say he’d ever thought of _that_ before. He'd used his powers to freeze things before, of course, but Bunny's _fur?_

“Ya heard me.., Frostbite… Freeze… ma… fur,” Bunny said again,

“What if you get too cold?” Jack asked, although he doubted that was an issue at the moment.

Gasping for breath, Bunny's speech sounded broken, but he managed to say, “Don’ worry... about it... Ma temp’s… about one-o-…seven right now… Ah gotta get… back down ta... one-o-two... Right now... Ah need... cold.” Aster was over-heated, Jack could make ice and he was as wet as a long-haired cat in a monsoon. It seemed the _obvious_ solution him.

Jack frowned and wrapped his hand around his staff. His free hand he pushed through the fur on Bunny’s chest up to his shoulder and, brushing his fingers down his arm, left trails of frost in the fur. He wasn’t freezing _him_ by any means… it was warm enough that it was melting nearly as quickly as it was placed, but Jack didn’t feel comfortable doing too much more. He wanted to freeze his fur, not his _skin_.

What with the panting, gasping, even shaking a little, that Bunny was doing, Jack was concerned. If he was in _this_ bad a condition from only a short time on the surface, how would he be able to deliver eggs on his own? “Look, I _know_ it’s almost Easter,” Jack began, “But _clearly_ you can’t be running around in this alone. I mean I get it if you don’t want _me_ to help, but maybe Tooth, or North…”

The Easter Bunny frowned as Jack spoke of his holiday. He didn’t like to admit it, but the frost sprite was right about one thing. He couldn’t hide eggs in this heat. Although his assumption that Bunny would prefer the company of one of the _other_ Guardians couldn’t be more off track.

“Jack.., ya’ve got it… all wrong…. It’s not that Ah… don’ want _you._.. ta help me... It’s… Look. Easter… is _my_ holiday!… It’s what Ah _do,_ mate... Ah shouldn’t need… _anyone’s_ help," he complained, but then he smiled hazily at Jack then and told him, “But… if Ah _gotta_ have help.., Ah figure ye’re… the best bloke fer the job.”

Jack smiled just slightly, combing his fingers through the frosty fur, and thinking about delivering Easter Eggs with Bunny. That couldn’t have sounded like more fun. He'd keep the Easter Bunny cool and maybe, just _maybe,_ the kids might see him, too. Maybe he could gain a few new believers in the bargain.

Feeling his fur repeatedly stiffen and thaw was an odd sensation, but Bunnymund bore with it. It was dropping his temperature a little at a time, so it was worth the discomfort. He didn't know how long it would continue to help, however. The temperature was climbing rapidly as the hour neared high-noon and the sun crept ever higher, the last of the shade retreating from it's light.

Even Jack was effected by this heat, Bunny noted through half-lidded eyes. The frost sprite sported a line of dampness at his hairline, despite using his powers. He was _actually_ sweating, or was he melting or... _thawing?_ No, that couldn't be the case. He may have a lower body temperature than normal humans, but it wasn't _that_ much lower. He wasn't some frozen corpse. He had a phsyical, and very much _alive_ , body. A body that looked like it was becomming _very_ uncomfortable under a layer of blue fleece. If he was smart Jack would have removed his hoodie, but he was more concerned with the Pooka for the moment. He smiled to himself when the ends of Bunny’s fur began keeping frosty crystals here and there. It meant it was _working_ , at least a little.

Now that the fur was cool enough to hold frost and Bunny was actually starting to feel a little better. Too bad Jack didn't know when to keep his mouth shut.

“Maybe I should just shave you,” he teased.

Bunny's reaction was immediate and, one might say, excessive. “ _WHAT?!.._." he gasped sharply, "Aw.., _Hell_ no!... Buckley's… chance'a _that_ … mate! Ya aint… _shavin’ me!_ ” he sputtered and tried to scramble back away from Jack, thoroughly disturbed by the very _thought_ , eyes wide with fear. Jack hadn't known that the Pooka had something against being shaved or he might not have _made_ such a joke. Even still, normally, Bunny wouldn’t have taken Jack seriously, but the heatstroke was making him a bit delirious.

“Calm down, Roo, I’m just _teasing_ ,” Jack chuckled. He'd never thought he'd see the big, bad Easter Bunny so utterly frightened by such a _minor_ thing. It was a fact the sprite found quite amusing.

What happened as a result was not _nearly_ as amusing. The sudden movement had been a _bad_ move on the Bunny's part. Like a dominoe effect, his heart-rate _jumped_ , panting _quickened_ in pace, body temperature _spiked_ and another seizure abruptly overtook him. “ _Jac-!_ ” he gagged, the word cut short as he once again went rigid, back arching in a _very_ unnatural way, eyes bulging and rolling back in their sockets. It came as a shock to Jack. He could feel the Pooka’s chest stiffen under his fingertips and pulled his hand back in alarm, 

Jack could only watch as Bunny's  _entire_  body twitched and convulsed and contorted, arms twisted like a _bizarre_ animated pretzel and breath gurgling and rasping around his protruding tongue. Jack's heart pounded in time with the seconds that he watched him writhe. He could hardly _stand_ to look at it. He wanted to tear his eyes away, but it was like watching a train wreck. He physically could _not_ take his eyes off of the frightening scene. And the _sounds_ were almost as bad as the visuals. They brought the water back to his shimmering eyes.

The hapless youth was forced to wait it out. Bunny flailing uselessly for a good twenty five seconds, before it subsided again. When his body _finally_ relaxed, Aster lay absolutely still for a few moments. Jack watched his chest carefully. Up… down… in… out… he was breathing. That was good, at least.

Bunny didn't speak at first, not trusting his voice to work as it should. Instead, he remained as he was and once again tried to catch his breath. He tried to focus on coming up with a better way to reverse his ailment and, in doing so, his thoughts soon drifted back to when he was just a kit. Oh, it was an _eternity_ ago and his memories of those times had grown distant, but there was something he was _trying_ to recall. He _knew_ that his mother had taught him a technique that could help him right now. If he could _just_ remember what it _was_... If he could just _remember_ what she’d _said._

Finally, it came to him and he let out a beleaguered groan. Bunny knew he was going to _regret_ _it_ when the thoughts in his head came out of his mouth, but they _had_ to get him stablized. Who knew what permanent damage the seizures might do to him unchecked? The techinique in question involved touching the Pooka near a certain specific, and highly _sensitive_ , area. If Jack slipped up... Suffice to say, such actions were normally reserved for darkened rooms and heightened passions, but it was their best chance. Still, he hesitated to voice the question that needed to be asked.

“Bunny..?” Jack inquired, worried that the groan had been out of pain, “Are you _okay..?_ ” He pushed his fingers through his own hair and heaved a sigh. He hated himself right then. Red eyes, teary face, messy hair that was tousled with now both a little dirt and a little sweat… He pushed the sleeves of his hoodie up to his forearms and pulled the front out, flapping it in an effort to fan himself. The sun was shining down _hard,_ there was nearly _no_ _shade,_ and Jack would have been panting _himself_ if not for the fact that he could sweat. He _loathed_ sweating. At least Bunny looked _cute_ when he panted. Sweating was _far less_ attractive.

Momentarily distracted from his uncomfortable musings, the Pooka watched Jack sigh and fuss with his hair and his sweater. It made Bunny wonder if it was _possible_ for Jack to get heatstroke. Could he be just as susceptible as any normal human? The thought did _not_ sit well with Bunny, so he suggested that Jack, “Take the bloody... sweatshirt off… if ye’re that hot.., Frostbite... Ya know… they call it... a sweatshirt… for a reason.., don’cha?”

Frankly, it was true. Jack was _sweating,_ quite a bit, and a lot of it had to do with the amount of effort he'd been putting into helping the overheated rabbit. However he didn’t think removing his hoodie was a good idea. _Unlike_ Pooka, it wasn’t _proper_ for most humans to just walk around half dressed, _especially_ not in the culture Jack came from.

When Jack made no move to accomodate him by removing his sweater, Bunny decided they had both suffered enough. Wishing he knew of another option other than his Mother's old technique, but _knowing_ there was nothing else that worked as well, Bunny turned exhausted eyes to Jack. His nose darkening a few shades, the only part of his blush one could actually _see,_  he mumbled, “Would ya mind.. rubbin’… ma ears?”

“Rub your ears?” Jack answered, his tone curious.

“Yeah, mate… If ya don’… mind,” Bunny confirmed haltingly, the breaks in his speech being only _mostly_ due to his labored breathing pattern. He still couldn’t believe he was asking the younger Guardian to _do_ such a thing. There were few places on a Pooka in rabbit form more sensitive than his ears, _especially_ that bundle of nerves and muscles at the base which controlled their function. It was a show of _trust_ that Bunny would let him do this for him, to be sure, but more than that, it was a _risk_. He could only pray that Jack understood a bit of rabbit anatomy prior to his asking for help because he was too _embarrassed_ to voice his concerns.

Jack was taking his time in answering and Bunny was about to ask him again, but then the teen kneeled behind his head.., took a deep breath.., said, “Rub your ears... Like _this?_ ” and began massaging his thumbs over his ears, close to his head, in the _exact worst spot_ he could choose. As he had before, he left bits of frost behind while he worked, rubbing circles into the shorter, silky fur.

Bunny's intended reiteration died in his throat, turning into a funny little _squeak_ instead. The squeak surprised Jack. It was a strange sound, like someone had stepped on a dog toy. It was a sound he had not heard in the past, and wasn’t sure he would _ever_ hear again in the future. He didn’t even know if it was a _good_ sound or a _bad_ sound. It was just… _strange_.

The overgrown rabbit’s eyes drifted closed of their volition and he involuntarily leaned into the touch. The way Jack was rubbing, in _delicious_ small circles that sent shivers through his nerves, Aster’s leg _twitched_ as he was forced to resist the urge to thump and he whimpered quietly. He hoped to _MiM_ his pseudo-nurse hadn’t heard that. He couldn’t help himself - it felt  _incredibly_  good, but he had to stop this. It would only make him _hotter_ if it continued. He weakly reached up a shaky paw to still Jack’s hand. “No, mate,” he humphed awkwardly, “Not there… Higher up… On the... inside, where… the big... blood vessels are,” he explained, deliberately avoiding mentioning the embarrassing event which had just occurred. “If ya… rub there, it… cools the blood… Normally ya’d… use cold water… or an ice cube.., but you can... make ice.., so we don’t... need it.”

It was only when Bunny started explaining where on his ears to touch that Jack finally decided he was done with the hoodie, old-time sensibilities be _damned_. He leaned back for a second, propped the Pooka’s head against his knees and arched his back so he could tug the sweatshirt off. Nuts to that. Bunny was _right_ , it was making him _too_ hot. He groaned in a little bit of relief when a breeze fluttered by. Wind was being kind to them… doing her own little part to help them out.

The skin in the area Bunnymund had indicated was _bright red_ \- another sign of his overheated condition. With luck this old trick would work. Successful or not, however, all Jack’s efforts would go to waste if they didn’t get Bunny somewhere with air conditioning… or snow on the ground. The Pole seemed the best option. He needed to rest someplace cold, and _frankly,_  the coldest place where they could get help was North’s castle. Jack wanted to smile just thinking about the icy home.

Reaching down, the sprite did as instructed, letting the tips of his fingers explore Bunnymund's ears until he felt where it was much warmer. He didn’t address the noise from earlier out loud, but he made a mental note to play with his ears again later… _Just_ to see what would happen. Not bothering with frost this time, he instead formed a _very thin_ coating of ice over the his own fingertips, and traced the veins in Bunny's ears, eliciting a rabbit-purr from Bunny as he did so.

“So basically I’m your own personal ice pack?” Jack asked, smirking at the purring sound Bunny had made by grinding his teeth. “I feel so ‘ _used’,_ ” he joked. “First the CPR, then the _fur_ thing and now _this_ … maybe you should move into a _nursing home_ or something. They can take care of you there, and you can grow old in peace,” he continued. He _knew_ he was being annoying… the idea behind it was to just get Bunny back to his old self. If he was strong enough to _argue_ , or even _smile_ a little bit, he would be strong enough for Jack to stop being quite so _worried_. “Ugh, and they can brush your teeth for you. You taste like carrots.”

“If ya don’t... like the taste…, then don’t... kissssss…” It was comical really, the way Bunnymund just _froze_ mid-sentence, mid-word even, the last of it turning into a soft _hiss_ like someone let the air out of a tire. Eyes going _wide_ and jaw _dropping_ as the full implications of his own words hit him with all the force and speed of a bullet train. CPR… It involved mouth to mouth resuscitation… _Mouth_ … _to_ ….. _mouth_. “Ah… Ah… Ah mean… What Ah was… tryin’ ta say…” There was really no backing out of this now. He was _certain_ Jack knew what the rest of that sentence would have been.

It hadn’t dawned entirely on Jack that what he had been doing was _kissing._ It had been necessary. He didn’t want Bunny to die. Certainly there was more _behind_ it. The tears, the feelings of weakness, the absolute _need_ for the Pooka to remain alive… but he still didn’t realize that by laying his mouth over his he was _kissing_ him. And yet, by definition, wasn’t he? Here Bunny was, sputtering over his words and flushing, and—“Stop squirming like that! You’ll make yourself hotter.”—acting as though he couldn’t heal and escape Jack _fast enough._ It made his smile fade, it made him inhale deeply through his nose, and exhale just as softly through it, in order to cover up the sigh. It honestly and truly deflated him, his _whole body_ seemed to sink a little.

And Bunny felt it. That  _slight_  hint of  _something_  cluing him in to Jack’s feelings. It wasn’t just the outward signs Jack was displaying like a neon sign in Vegas, however quickly he tried to pull the plug on it. It was  _more_  than that. Aster was _definitely_ still feeling just the _tiniest_  bit of Jack’s mind within his own. Perhaps the link wasn’t as closed as he thought it was? It didn’t matter at the moment, however. What mattered was exactly  _what_ had come through just now. There was a deep and pervading sadness settling over Jack and it was  _his_  fault. _Again_. Bunny couldn’t have missed it however much he might have wished he had or, rather, wished he hadn’t. Hadn’t caused it in the first place, that is. Now he had to fix it _._

But this was all _wrong_ … Bunny felt like he’d been somehow cheated out of something yet, at the same time, felt he didn’t have the _right_. He had treated Jack so _cruelly_ in the past. The blizzard of ‘68, the night Jack was chosen as a Guardian, Easter last year… Their relationship had been a parade of incidents involving Bunny losing his temper, holding a grudge - sometimes for _years_ on end - and then having to make up for it once he realized what an _idiot_ he had been. Really, it was Jack who had been cheated. That was likely his _first_ kiss and it was with someone who treated him like _garbage_ , was another _guy_ and a six foot tall alien rabbit to _boot_. He deserved _so much_ better. Now wonder he felt like shit.

“Ah’m sorry, Jack,” Bunny sighed. “Made a mess’a thin’s again, haven’ Ah?”

It wasn’t exactly _Bunny's_ fault. Jack always tended to do nonsense like this. He always said things that made Bunny mad, did things that drove him away. “Don’t be sorry…” he countered, and before Bunny could say a thing further the spirit cracked a bright, albeit forced, smile. “I think I know better than to run around kissing _Kangaroos_ anyway! Now sit still so I can keep you cool.”

Bunny ignored the kangaroo comment. He _knew_ Jack wanted to distract him and he wasn't going to let him get away with it. “Jack… Mate…” he tried, his dry voice croaking. This was _hard_. Bunny had never been very good at expressing these sorts of emotions. _Anger, pride, arrogance?_ Those were _easy._ They didn’t make him feel _uncomfortable_. At least not _before_ he expressed them. There was always the regret that came after, but this flame that the thought of _kissing_ Jack had ignited, that was only just beginning to _truly_ take hold of him, made his voice cease to function and set his heart to flutter. It was a feeling he’d only otherwise been privy to twice before, in the presence of his long-gone Mate, Lyra and for a few months before the blizzard of '68. Bunny thought he'd _buried_ those feelings after the first time Jack ruined Easter. Now they were beginning to resurface and he didn't know how to deal with them.

So, since those feelings were _hard_ to express and Jack seemed intent on being a _shit_ about it, he fell back on good old fashioned annoyance sprinkled with a not-so-healthy dose of threats of violence. “Look… Ye’re not… foolin’ me, mate… Ah got plenty... ta be sorry for… an’ if ya... don’t let me… apologize… Ah just might... tear that _bloody hoodie_ … offa ya... an’ stuff it down... yer throat… jus’ ta shut ya up!” Gods, was it impossible to sound _threatening_ while panting up a storm.

Annoyed by both his incoherant speech and the man cooling his ears, Bunnymund angled his head up to scowl at Jack... and nearly _swallowed_ his tongue.


	5. In Which Rainbows Aren't Pretty and Fairies Aren't Fast Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apologies abound, buried emotions resurface and a fairy comes to call, but can Baby Tooth get help for Bunny before it's too late?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blood warning for this chapter. 
> 
> I did a lot of research on heatstroke for this story and, I gotta tell ya, it is an AWFUL thing. I had no idea all the horrible symptoms and side-effects that can come with it. Everything that happens to Bunny during his affliction in this story are very real possibilities when one has severe heatstroke. I swear I'm not making this stuff up.
> 
> Want proof? Read these articles:
> 
> http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/heat-stroke-symptoms-and-treatment
> 
> http://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/clinpath/modules/coags/dic.htm

The intended scowl wound up getting lost on its way to Bunny's face, cut off by the stunned look of a deer in headlights. He hadn’t noticed until just _that moment_ that Jack had, in fact, _heeded_ his suggestion and removed his sweatshirt after all. Now there he was, no longer cleverly hidden beneath all that flannel, pale skin so bright in the sunlight, it was nearly painful to look at and beads of sweat rolling down that well-toned, albeit very slender, form. "Oh..," was Bunny's ever-so-intelligent response. He knew he was staring, but he couldn't make his traitorous eyes work for him, so locked as they were on that perfectly chiseled body.

Jack didn’t know what to think of this. The look on Bunny’s face was really hard to place. It was like his eyes glazed over, he turned his lights off. He was just _staring_ , and very suddenly the spirit felt a little self conscious. He looked shocked - like he was _totally astonished_ that Jack had removed his shirt. Bunny was the one who _told_ him to! “Oh.” Jack repeated, trying to understand what the rabbit was thinking by quoting him. It didn’t work.

It occurred to the rabbit-man then, on some distant level where his mind was still functioning, that anyone stumbling upon the scene they made would have thought they were doing something _entirely_ different. Here he was, laying on his back with his head practically in the shirtless frost sprite's lap, the hint of a _dazed_ smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, getting his ears _rubbed_ in what appeared a very _sensuous_ manner - and let's face it, it still felt _damn_ good, although not as arousing as before - and him _panting_ like a _bitch in heat_. Bunny wouldn't blame anyone for thinking what it appeared _obvious_ was happening. A part of him he wanted to _gag_ wished appearances were _accurate_.

When the traffic jam in his head finally cleared up and his train of thought got back on track, Bunny blinked away the less platonic bits and _attempted_ to refocus on the topic at hand. He failed _miserably_. It had gone from his mind and he wore the most hilarious blank look as he asked, "What were we talkin' about, mate?"

Jack couldn’t help it. He laughed - just one, quiet chuckle. His words... his expression. It was just funny. “We… were talking about…” the frost sprite began, but paused, not certain how to proceed. He had an opportunity here. A chance to say that he was talking about shoving a hoodie down his throat, and to tease him that he was already topless. A chance to say they were talking about something that was truly important, and that the two of them were just too ditzy to see it. A chance to say that it was just CPR, it wasn’t a _kiss_ , and if said _kiss_ was offensive to Bunny that he didn’t have to consider it as such. Instead, he choose to lie about it, not wanting to discuss that 'kiss' at all. “…I don’t remember," came the falsehood, "You distracted me with your funny face.” 

“What… funny face? Ah… wasn’t makin’ a… funny face,” Bunny grumbled, still trying to remember the events of the last five minutes clearly. He fervently wished the heatstroke wasn’t making his mental faculties so sluggish.

The teen payed Bunny's complaint no heed and, instead, compounded the lie with, “Probably something about how we should go to the pole. North could help you a lot better than I ever could.” He had seen first hand North lifting up the Pooka, with one arm and no effort. Jack was lucky to pull him into a sitting position. If anyone could get Bunny somewhere cool, it was him.

It seemed that only a small part of Jack’s emotions were still making it through the mostly closed link and nothing of his thoughts. The fact that Jack was feeling guilty and embarassed bothered Bunnymund. He wondered briefly if Jack could still feel anything of _his_ emotions, but put the thought aside to revisit later. “That’s not what… we were talkin’ about… Ah haven’… even mentioned North… Ah’m sure’a that much.”

Proud of being able to confuse the Pooka, Jack was more than happy to talk in circles until he forgot their true topic of conversation entirely. “Well I did say I forgot. We could have been talking about something else,” he continued the charade while he moved one of his hands away from Bunny’s ear and lightly tapped the tip of his index finger against the pink nose. When he did he was more than happy to leave a chill, his own signature ‘nip’.

If he hadn’t been so out of it, Aster might have noticed Jack’s hand moving toward his nose and had the good sense to dodge it. As it was, however, he only became aware of it when the finger had already touched him, which was far too late to stop it. Bunny wiggled his nose, the sudden cold feeling stinging the sensitive flesh a bit, and he sneezed. “Ah hate it… when ya... do that, mate!” he griped.

“I know you hate it—that’s why I do it,” Jack chuckled. He was feeling much better, in those few seconds. He was sure that it had been helpful to the Pooka anyway. His nose was all red from what Jack didn’t realize was his earlier blushing. The cold would do it good, and the chill would help Bunny’s body cool down. “I’m sorry too,” he added. “But you’re too sick to get into all of this nonsense right now. The list of reasons I’m on the naughty list is too big to address while you can’t even say your whole name in one breath.”

“Wait… Sorry fer _what?_ …Ya don’… have anythin’ ta… apologize for… Ya saved… my _life_ , Jack… Hell, ye’re _still_ … savin’ it… Savin’ me... Aint nothin’… naughty about that.” The word ‘naughty’ got stuck in his brain then, lodged firmly somewhere between ‘Sorry’ and ‘Kiss’, and the train of thought that had earlier been derailed by Jack’s fabulous physique came rushing back like the five o’clock express. “Naughty..?” Bunny said wonderingly, mulling the word over as his thoughts rolled into the station, “Oh… Ah remember now,” he sighed, eyes turning downcast, “Ah was tryin’… ta apologize .. for uh… For yer first kiss bein’ with… ya know… me.”

It was very presumptuous of Bunnymund to assume that that was Jack Frost’s ‘first kiss’. Very bold of him to say it so confidently, and very _annoying_ of him to insult the spirit by apologizing for it. The Pooka could feel a hint of Jack's annoyance and assumed, incorrectly, that it was over that stolen first kiss, not the apology that followed.

“It…” Jack hesitated. He wanted to say ‘It was not my first kiss’, but that was a lie. He wanted to say ‘It wasn’t a kiss at all’. That one wasn’t a lie, because although Jack’s mouth had in fact moved against Bunny’s, and perhaps in ways that were not necessary entirely to the CPR process, it had been to save his life.

Never mind the fact that Jack Frost had been waiting hundreds of years to have a first kiss. He was not angry about it. It had been something _he_ chose to do. Bunny was the one who should be receiving an apology, because Jack had just _inflicted_ his lips upon him without choice. It wasn't Bunny's fault that there had been other emotions attached. That he had touched his chest, trailed his fingers over to his arm, held his hand… Begged for him to be okay.

Icing his ears was working enough that the Pooka was feeling a little cooler now. His breathing had even slowed a bit and the link, which was most certainly still open, if only by a sliver, had become clearer. Bunny's mind was clearer as well. He could think again, and right now Bunnymund was thinking that this was the time to close the link entirely. He knew that he was invading Jack's privacy by letting the empathy continue without his knowledge, but the feelings rolling off of him as he sat there in silent contemplation were telling the ancient being more in a few _minutes_ than nearly _two hundred years_ of association and over _seventy years_ of friendship ever had. He _knew_ he should stop it, but he didn't _want_ to.

Jack wasn’t supposed to have those feelings anymore. They had been pushed away, locked up somewhere in his chest that was off limits. Bunny was his _friend_ and fellow Guardian, and Jack knew better than to even attempt to form a relationship with him stronger than that. This was why he was telling his brain to say something rational, and not revealing of his true feelings. “What’s so wrong with _you_?” he asked, thoughtlessly. Rationality was clearly gone.

But really, what was so wrong with kissing Bunny? Did he think he was anything less than the most attractive thing to grace the planet? Even when he looked like a ‘drowned rat’, he still was absurdly good looking. Surely it couldn’t have been his looks. Perhaps then personality? Bunny had a temper a mile wide and an attitude to match it. That being said, so did Jack… and frankly he _enjoyed_ bickering with Bunny. It was fun. He felt the need to vocalize all that, but wouldn't let himself. What came out of him was a much more condensed, “I like you.”

The completely unexpected depth of affection which accompanied that sentence told the Pooka those words meant so _very_ much more than the sum of their syllables. The instant the words were out of Jack's mouth, Bunny knew what they had _really_ meant. The accompanying emotions were unmistakable. Suddenly he wanted to laugh, to cry and to kiss Jack all at once. A real kiss. One he'd be conscious for this time.

Jack’s eyes widened as he realized the potential for his words to be taken out of context and, from the look at the rabbit's face, that was exactly what was happening. “Er, that’s not…. What I meant. I mean I do—like you, that is—I just… wait.” What he meant was ‘I like your personality’ or ‘I like being your friend’. It was not untrue, no matter _what context_ it was in.“What I meant to say is: It’s better you than someone that I don’t know, or don’t like.” That made sense, right?

No matter how much sense it made, Jack couldn't mask the deep, purplish blue shade his cheeks were turning, or how he’d almost had a heart attack when he’d made that accidental ‘confession’. “Er—so maybe it’s _time to talk about North_.” He decided. “And the pole and getting you someplace nice and cool…”

Jack babbled rapid-fire, spitting out excuses and _rational_ explanations and just trying to talk his way out of the faux paux he had nose-dived headlong into, but it was too late. Bunny already knew the truth.  It was a good thing, too. Were the link closed, some of what Jack had said he may have found hurtful or even somewhat insulting. It might have started another fight. However, with Jack's true feelings cascading down on, and flooding his mind like a tsunami, the giant rabbit couldn't stop the whopper of a grin that encompassed not only his face, but his _entire_ body, muscles nigh unto _quivering_ with the need to let it out.

Bunny was embarrassed by his own response, which he attributed to delerium caused by the heatstroke. He tried to frown, but the joy in his heart would not be stifled. Instead he was forced to settle for leaving that giant toothy grin plastered all over his person while watching the wonderful, beautiful face above him as it contorted into some rather _interesting_ expressions.

The smile made Jack anxious. His fingers twitched, and he trailed them up to the tips of Bunny's ears for a moment, rubbing the thin, tapered area between his fingertips. He didn’t know what this meant… He certainly hoped it was a good thing… But what good had ever come from Bunny smiling this much in the past?

Bunnymund took pity on the flustered frost sprite then, although 'pity' may have been the wrong word for it, and answered, voice filled with mirth, "True that, mate... Ah _like_ you too," emphasis on, and eyebrows reaching for the sky at, the word 'like'. Bunny chuckled then, the sound rich and hearty, but that would be his only comment on the issue for the time being. His words, his expression, his _actions_... they combined to make Jack rather uncomfortable.

The frost sprite blushed harder, then averted his eyes with a thoughtful frown. Did he? Did he like Jack too? Did he know? The whole idea scared the younger Guardian. What was he supposed to do then? Act on his feelings? Pursue them? He didn’t know how to go about it, after all these years. For whatever the reason, he did end up with a smile on his face, even if he tilted his head away to hide said smile. Maybe it would be worth holding out a little hope…

Finally getting back to more pressing matters, Bunnymund's voice took on a decidedly more serious tone as he said, "Goin ta... the Pole's... probably not a... bad idea.., though. Question is.., _how d'we... get there_?"

“I have no idea,” Jack admitted. He let go of Bunny’s ears for a moment and sighed. “I don’t suppose you feel any better?”

A little groan of disappointment burbled up from the alien's chest unbidden. He felt a yearning to have those hands swiftly returned and back at their previous ministrations. Still, Bunny levered himself up onto his elbows and tried to sit up. He found that he could almost do so, but wound up settling back onto his elbows when the effort began to bring his nausea back. "A bit... maybe... but Ah'm still... pretty crook... Ah could stand... a drink though."

Jack was about to get up, intent on walking back to the pond and trying to get some water for Bunny, one way or another, when he heard a familiar buzz of wings. He looked up and around, soon laying eyes on a tooth fairy. When she approached Jack could see one light blue eye, and he smiled softly. “Baby Tooth,” he grinned. “Long time no see!”

Before Jack had even finished his greeting, Baby Tooth launched into a flurry of squeaks and squeals. It was rapid-fire and unintelligible to most, but Jack was able to understand her. He’d always been able to… strangely enough, he had caught on to Baby Tooth’s language far faster than he caught on to reading the symbolism of the Sandman. She babbled so fast that Jack almost missed it, but his face fell when she explained her presence.

“North’s gathering the Guardians,” he explained to Bunny. He needn't have bothered. The Pooka had been dealing with Tooth and her fairies since long before Jack ever met them. He was well versed in their chittery language and was about to tell Jack as much, but then he was talking to the fairy again. “But we can’t go anywhere, Baby Tooth! Bunny’s sick, and I’ve got to stay here to keep him cool.”

The mini fairy was chattering at him again and then, without warning, Toothiana's humming bird-like helper vanished in a blur of yellow, blue, and green. Jack was left with a stunned look on his face. “I think… she’s coming back,” He offered.

Seeing that Jack had missed some of her hastily spoken words, Bunny translated, "She's comin' back with North," nose paling a bit with the last of the message, "and the sleigh." He was more comfortable with the sleigh these days, but still not truly fond of that particular mode of transportation. He couldn't feel the pulse of the Earth when he had no connection to its' surface. That fact alone would be enough, but it also gave him motion sickness, which he was really not looking forward to considering he had been feeling very nauseous for he didn't know how long now. There was nothing for it, however. He had to get to the Pole somehow and, given the choice between the sleigh or those damned snow globes, he'd take the sleigh any day of the week. A fact he was sure North was well aware of.

Jack knew that the sleigh would get them there efficiently and that North would be here to help Bunny, so he was much happier about the whole affair than his furry friend. He was so overtaken by the sweet sense of relief that came with knowing that they were going to be okay that he was startled as Bunny laid his head boldly - experimentally - directly in his lap with the words, "Oh, ugh... Here she... comes again..." A new wave of dizziness having heralded the onset of returning vertigo which, combined with his already once again rising body temperature, caused Bunny to close his eyes tight against the discomfort.

Confused by his statement, Jack asked, "Who? Baby Tooth?" To which Bunny answered, in a most confusing way, "No... The urge ta... show ya... what a techni-color... yawn is." Jack had no idea what that was but, if Bunny's demeanor as he said it was anything to go by, he had the feeling it wasn't a good thing.

When the frost sprite didn't complain about the invasion of his personal space, it made Bunny strangely happy. He kept it to himself, however, as another surge of nausea gripped his stomach. There was only one thing that would help to control the urge right now and Jack wasn't doing his job. So, cracking open bleary lids, Bunny peered up at Jack expectantly. "Are ya... gonna give 'er... another go...." he requested, flicking his ears for emphasis, "or d'ya actually... wanna see what... a techni-color yawn is?"

“Okay okay, you can hush now, you little baby. Mommy’s here,” Jack teased, as he again ice-over his fingertips and resumed cooling Bunny. Of course, his curiosity could not be stopped by the mere distraction of his hands.

The Pooka growled in annoyance at the ‘little baby’ comment. “Kid, Ah'm… older'n this planet..! If anyone’s a… baby here.., it’s you,” he shot back, breathing and heart rate increasing once again. It wasn’t Jack’s fault. It really wasn’t. He most likely didn’t know that irrational anger was a part of heatstroke. His jokes were probably  intended to add levity to the situation, but Bunny was beyond such reasoning.

Jack wasn't paying attention to the rabbits outburst at the moment. It was driving him nuts that Bunny hadn't elaborated on the 'techni-color yawn' thing. He had a curiosity bump the size of the Lunar Lamadary and it needed to be satisfied. “So I may regret asking this,” he began, “and please do _not_ demonstrate, but when you say ‘techni-color yawn’… is that another way of saying ‘upchuck’? Because that’s probably the funniest way I’ve ever heard it put.”

In fact all he could imagine was the Easter Bunny spewing rainbows, although he was pretty darn sure that was not the way it would happen. He’d never had the ‘pleasure’ of witnessing him vomit, and he certainly could go his whole life without it. A sarcastic smile came over him as he said, “It would be awesome if you could just _not_ barf. Especially not in my lap.”

In that moment everything was very docile for Jack. He wasn’t so scared anymore, with help on the way. Bunny seemed to be okay, he seemed to be as comfortable as he was going to be until he was properly treated. A breeze had picked up, and that was always nice, and Jack was smiling. Frankly his face was a great way to read his emotions, he was never one for covering them up, and his smile was genuine and gentle. Perhaps Jack Frost had earlier been scared to death, but now he was confident again.

Jack's confidence was a bit misplaced. Though a moment ago he'd been yelling at Jack, Bunny's eyes now drifted closed and he settled languidly against the earth and the cool body pillowing his head. It might have seemed like he was getting better, but this meant Bunny was actually getting worse. The little voice in his head was back again, this time with a warning. _Do not go to sleep. Whatever you do, do not go to sleep!_ But he was just so tired and it was so damn hot. In fact, it seemed to be getting hotter still. That made sense on some level, it being nearly high-noon now, but none of it mattered to Bunny. He just wanted to rest.

Thank MiM Jack was there and was still talking to him or he would have already drifted off. He was having trouble understanding his words, but least they were keeping him conscious. Eventually he made sense of the last thing Jack had said. “Ya guessed it.., Frosty…” he affirmed, eyes still shut in apparent tranquility. “Ah don’… wanna throw up… anymore’n ya… want me ta… It aint… up ta me.., though,” he finished, finally opening his eyes again to see Jack’s face. The frost sprite seemed quite serene himself. Too bad that serenity was about to be shattered.  

Resting an open paw on his abdomen, Aster frowned. Something wasn’t quite right. Something that drew his gaze down to that paw, which he turned pad-side up to see what was amiss. Then he giggled… actually giggled… sounding quite demented. “Hey, Jackie…” he snickered, although trying to be serious. Laughing again in spite of himself, he continued, “We got a… *hee hee*…. We got a… pr-problem… mate.” He showed his hand to Jack then and busted into a tittering fit which belied the sticky fluid staining his palm a deep and terrifying crimson.


	6. In Which North Knows a Surprising Amount About Medicine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How can someone bleed when they were never injured? What is this mysterious new affliction and will North get there in time to stop it before it kills the last of the Pooka?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning here. If you are bothered by blood or detailed descriptions of medical procedures, you may have difficulty with this chapter.

Jack thought everything was getting better, even if he  _was_  angering Bunny with his various comments here and there. Bunny had been relaxing, closing his eyes. He had thought it was going to be okay… that is until he heard the cackles of  _laughter_  from beneath him. He raised a brow, looking down at the Pooka's face, and then moving his line of vision to the paw. "Is that…" Jack's whole heart sank.  _Blood_. He was bleeding. How was he _bleeding?_  "...Bunny... how -  _what?_ " he questioned, panic seeping into his voice. Laying Bunny's head on the ground, he practically crawled forward over the Pooka in his attempt to see it for himself. There was blood  _soaking_  his abdomen, matting up the fur - beginning to drip on the ground, and Jack's breath caught in his throat. "No—wait- _stop_ …" he commanded, as though he could simply  _tell_  the bleeding to cease and it would heed him.

Jack pressed his fingertips down on the spot the blood seemed to be coming from, making a point to cool the skin slightly. Maybe it would slow the bleeding. He couldn't help the whimper that made its way into his voice. "B-Bunny are you… are you  _okay?_ "  _Of course_ , he wasn't okay. It was a stupid question, but Bunny looked like he may  _pass out_  at any moment. By talking to him, Jack hoped to keep him conscious. "Just... like… tell me how you feel…  _Talk_  to me, okay?.. North will be here soon. It's  _okay_ … You're going to be  _okay_." In truth, Jack had  _no idea_  if that would really be the case. He'd never seen anything like this happen to a person. Once more he felt like Bunnymund was  _dying_  and he was terrified.

The laughter continued and Bunny was unable to respond. This, too, was a symptom of the Pooka's ailment. His brain had overheated to a level that was now affecting his ability to govern his own body. He was not used to having no control over himself and that added another facet of helplessness and distress to his condition. Several times, he tried to speak, but only more giggling came out.

"What  _is_  this? D-do you know why this is  _happening?_ " Jack asked, voice laced with desperation, to which Bunnymund nodded rapidly, still laughing away. Leaning closer, Jack asked, "Can you _tell_  me?" He needed to find this out  _now_  - by the time North got here, Bunny might be beyond words. Or maybe he already  _was?_

His condition now on a  _rapid_  downslide, Jack's words barely made sense to the demented rabbit; mind a jumble of half-thoughts and incoherent images. On a distant and  _far_  more rational level, he  _knew_  why he was bleeding. Living as long as he had, you learned a thing or two about the world, including medical conditions. This was another complication of heat stroke. Moreover, the laughter was only making it  _worse,_  blood oozing faster in  _bursts_  with each chortle. And the condition was spreading. Now not only his belly, but also his mouth, eyes and nose had  _all_ begun seeping his life's fluids into his fur. It was quite disturbing to him and, though he sounded for all the world like he was  _enjoying_  himself, on his face shown real fear, tears born not of emotion leaking uncontrolled from bulging eyes as he guffawed on. Yes, Bunny knew what was happening to him, but he could not stop it or even  _explain_  it if he couldn't stop laughing.

Aster tried, he _really_  tried, to convey the details of it to Jack, however he just kept laughing every time he attempted to speak. But he was _E. Aster Bunnymund_ , the Easter Bunny and Guardian of Hope and hope was something he  _refused_  to give up on now. So he tried again,"Dis-*hahah*-dissemi- *snort*-seminated-*heh*-intrava-*heeheehee* -vascular- *snicker*-coag-agulation!" finally succeeding in  _almost_  making sense this time. He prayed Jack had understood him, although the poor kid probably had  _no idea_  what disseminated intravascular coagulation  _was_  anyway, other than a mouthful to say. If he could remember it and tell North, maybe the knowledge could be of some help.

Finally the laughing seizure, which is essentially what it had been, abated, but Bunnymund dared not speak, lest he set himself off again. Still needing his ears cooled, because, however  _slight_  it may be, it was helping to slow the increase in his body heat, he took Jack by the wrist. Nearly losing his grip from the blood-slick fur, Bunny stilled Jack's attempts to quell the bleeding and shook his head slowly. There was nothing Jack could do for this. Best to leave it be and do something that  _would_  help, if only by buying them some time. He guided Jack's hand back up to his ears, one of which was now also bleeding from the ear canal, and nodded.  _This_  was where Jack was needed _._   _This_  was how he could help. Best not to dwell on the rest.

Jack was beginning to get dizzy. He had never been one to handle blood well. It was one thing when someone skinned a knee, or a child lost a tooth. A  _little_  blood didn't bother him.  _This_  bothered him. There was  _so much_  of it! It was covering Jack's hands and Bunny... He reminded Jack of a horror movie. He hadn't even noticed that Bunny's ears were bleeding until he  _dipped his fingers into it_. He didn't let it stop him from attempting to ice the veins, no matter how uneasy it made him.

Playing what Bunny had said over and over in his head, Jack _tried_  to memorize it while simultaneously attempting to block out the cackles of laughter. This was all too much. He wanted it to be a nightmare - that he could wake up and Bunny would be alright. Wanted to ignore the sickening sight of someone he cared for, on  _so many levels_ , looking as if he was about to just  _melt_  into a puddle of blood and fur, but he  _couldn't_. Tears slipped down his cheeks, over the curve of his lips and chin, and dripped down, landing on Bunny.

Not two minutes later, the familiar whoosh of a magic portal opening, followed by the jingle of sleigh bells filled the air overhead. North had arrived at long last and not a moment too soon. He leapt from the sleigh before it had even stopped and rushed over to Jack and the ailing Pooka, preceded by a chittering Baby Tooth and two yetis following close on his heels. One carried what appeared to be an old-fashioned leather Doctor's kit and the other a canvas stretcher.

Nearly the moment North was on the ground Baby Tooth zipped into Jack's hair. She watched concernedly as Jack rubbed away his tears with the back on one arm, leaving a smudge of red across one cheek in his haste. It was just a little unflattering to have wet all over his face, and he didn't want to be seem weak and useless. Baby Tooth chirped encouragement to him. He was trying so hard to cool Bunny - was so stressed. He was drained, mentally and physically. Unfortunately the fairy could do little else to help.

"Jack! Baby Tooth tells me Bunny is sick! What has happened?" North demanded as he knelt down beside his very messy friend. " _Bozhe moy!"_  he exclaimed in shock upon taking in Bunnymund's condition. Without waiting for an explanation, the huge Russian immediately went to work to get Bunny fit for travel. He went over Bunny's body  _literally_  with a fine-toothed comb, using it as an instrument to spread his fur in search of injuries. He noted that the blood on his abdomen came from a thin scratch that shouldn't be bleeding like it was, but more surprising were the small red dots that peppered Bunny's skin absolutely  _everywhere._  Closer inspection revealed that they were little blood blisters just beneath the surface. "Bunny, what  _is_  this?" he asked, confused by his condition. Expecting an answer, his gaze jumped to the rabbit-man's face, and he realized he would not be receiving one. Bunnymund had  _lost_  his battle for consciousness.

"Dissa-something intro-vascular co-ag-a-something," Jack murmured in response to the question which had not been directed at him. He knew Bunnymund couldn't answer - had felt him go _limp_  in his lap, and it brought a new wave of fear with it. A few more tears forced their way between his lids and he shot a terrified glance at North. "He's having a heat stroke - I can't keep him cold enough here… My magic is weak because of the weather…"

North considered Jack's words for a moment, then said, "Disseminated intravascular coagulation?" both to inform Jack of what he thought he'd been trying to say and to confirm that he was correct. Jack didn't need to answer, North's eyes going _wide_  as he put the signs together. He  _knew_ he'd gotten it right. He leaned forward and gripped Jack's shoulder in a show of support, locking eyes with the newest Guardian. "From heatstroke?" he said. Again, it was not a question so much as a confirmation.

"He's having seizures and passing out… he can't stay here! Please help him!" He didn't stop trying of course. Until they were safe and sound at the Pole, Jack would be damned if he took his fingers out of Bunny's ears. He didn't even care that they'd become stained red with his blood.

"Da. This is _very_  serious," North nodded. More serious, perhaps, than either of them realized…

As North assured Jack, " _Of course_  we will help him," and the yetis had just about finished preparing to move Bunny onto the stretcher, having removed what passed for his clothing, suddenly the Pooka choked and began to convulse in Jack's lap. This time, however, it was  _not_  a seizure. It was his body's instinctive reaction to his airway being compromised for the  _second_ time that day. He made  _horrible_  gurgling sounds as his trachea began to fill with fluid from his own bleeding.

The winter sprite's heart leapt into his throat. The seizures had been  _bad_ ; the bleeding had been  _worse_ , but choking and convulsing  _on his own blood?_  That was a sign of internal bleeding and even _Jack_  knew how serious  _that_ could be. "BUNNY?! NO! North, do someth...!"

Springing to action, North rolled Bunny onto his side so that the blood stopped running down his throat while simultaneously nudging Jack out of the way, causing him to swallow the rest of his words in a gasp. Nicholas shouted something at the yetis in hoarse Russian and one of them dug around in the medical bag, removing and handing to him an L-shaped device that looked like a cross between an ice-climbing pick, a garden sprayer nozzle and a flashlight. Rolling Bunny back onto his back, North opened his mouth and tilted his head to allow access to his throat. The yeti then passed him a hand-operated breathing mask, which he used to provide the rabbit with a few breaths of much-needed oxygen, before removing it and inserting the thinner end of the other device into Bunny's mouth. Angling it down his throat, it gave him a clear view of Bunny's larynx. Jack had to look away as his patient began to thrash in response 

"Hold him down!" North commanded his yeti and they immediately restrained the ailing Pooka. Once he was under control, Santa took a thin tube and inserted it past the device and down Bunny's throat several inches.

As North worked, Jack's heart rose into his throat and his inner frightened child shown through the façade of bravery. He'd never seen  _any_  of this in person and could have happily gone his  _entire existence_  without it. Yet this was  _more_  than just seeing it. He was  _directly involved_  and it was only his resolve to see Bunny live that kept him from bolting the  _instant_  North had taken charge of the situation.

After checking to see that the tube was properly placed, Nicholas attached the rubber bellows from the breathing mask to the free end of it and began squeezing to force air through the tube and into Bunny's lungs. He then reached down and gripped the traumatized teen's arm.

Jack barely had time to grab his staff and balled up shirt from the ground before he was being lifted, eyes round and nervous, to his feet and the bellows were thrust into his shaking hands. "…But," Jack began to protest. He was, in that very moment, literally holding Bunny's  _life_  in his hands. What if he didn't do it correctly? What if he pumped too fast? Too slow?

Holding both Jack's hands and the bellows together with huge palms, North once again locked eyes with the youth. "Jack. Listen. I  _know_  you are afraid for Bunny, but you  _must_  be  _strong_. You take this. You squeeze in rhythm, like breathing. Understand? You must  _breathe_  for him." North then scooped Bunny up like a sleeping babe and gently laid him on the waiting stretcher, which the yetis lifted easily. With a pat to Jack's shoulder, North said, "Come. Time is short." He hopped easily into his seat as the yetis carried Bunny to the waiting sleigh, Jack keeping pace while working the breathing apparatus. Closing his eyes, he let out his breath and squeezed the bellows, then relaxed his hold in time with his following intake of air. Breath out and squeeze, breath in and release. That was how he'd decided to handle his task, to match his own breaths. It soothed him, to an extent. In… out… In… out… It was something to distract his mind.

Carefully laying Aster on the floor behind Santa's seat, the yetis settled themselves, one near the rabbit's feet, the other next to him. Jack sat by his head, which he used his legs to steady, as North cracked the reigns and cried to the reindeer, "Home boys!  _Quickly_  now!" The sleigh climbed into the clouds and then disappeared, sucked into the globe portal which would take them to the Pole.

It was the quietest Bunnymund had ever been during a sleigh ride. It made Jack nervous. Supporting the Pooka's head was unnecessary, he was sure, but it kept it from bouncing around… and that comforted Jack.  _I need you, Idiot,_  he thought to himself, biting down on his lip.  _Stupid Bunny._  Where did he get off, having a heat stroke? Jack didn't want him to die, not after he'd said he  _liked_  him. Not that he'd wanted him to die before but, even if it was platonic, even if he just liked Jack as his friend, Jack needed that in his life. The stability of knowing that someone genuinely cared about him.

The trip through the portal wasn't Bunny's favorite, and it certainly wasn't Jack's Either. He didn't feel very connected to anything at all. Not the earth, not the wind. Just magic. Raw, powerful magic. The good news was it only lasted a moment and, soon enough, Jack was hit with the relief of cool air against his skin. The yeti by the Pooka's side threw a blanket over him to keep Bunny from going into shock from the sudden temperature change. Jack was glad to know that the Pole was still cold, and it made him sigh in relief. Here his fellow Guardian had a chance at survival. He had no idea how big of a chance it was, but North seemed to know what he was doing. That got him thinking. Just how  _was_  Santa going to save Bunny? How could you help someone who's body seemed so determined to shut down? "What are you guys going to do?" he called out to North, although he doubted he'd been heard over the air rushing by. When the sleigh finally touched down on the runway, and frankly that itself could not come soon enough, Jack looked at North and repeated his question. "What happen's now?"


	7. In Which Hope Gives Up and Wonder Casts a Spell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bunny may finally be at the Pole, but he's not yet out of the woods. What will it take to bring him back from the brink? Can North combat his symptoms before it's too late for the last of the Pooka?... Can two simple words save a life?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- The spell used in this chapter is cannon, from the Guardians of Childhood books. You will find that we include several elements from William Joyce's book series along with what we use from the movie. Hopefully we have done a good job of tying the two together.
> 
> \- Again, I am issuing a warning for blood and descriptions of medical procedures, this time involving needles.

North was shouting orders to the yetis the instant they were within hearing range, not waiting for the sleigh to stop. There was a sudden flurry of activity as several yetis made their way quickly to the workshop infirmary to prepare the room for Bunny’s arrival. When the sleigh finally came to a sliding halt, Santa immediately turned to Jack. “Is too much to explain. You just keep him breathing, Jack. You are doing _good job._ ” He then turned away again and bellowed a few more things at the yetis in Russian. One yeti rushed off to announce their arrival and explain Bunny's condition to Tooth and Sandy, while Phil came up to take charge of the reindeer and the two yetis on the sleigh assisted with unloading Bunny.

Jack was no longer sitting still, but dodging around obstacles and the like to try and keep up with the yetis moving the stretcher. He somehow managed to keep the same pace with the bellows in spite of all the distractions, the words of encouragement North gave the only thing he had to go on that perhaps he was doing this right. With a glance over his shoulder he realized that he was leaving his staff and his hoodie behind in the sleigh. He found that fact somewhat distressing. That crook held his power. It was _physically draining_ to be away from it. Without that and his hoodie he simply didn’t _feel_ like Jack Frost. He hoped they'd be safe…

Soon the group piled into the lift, careful not to jostle Bunny as they did so. It was rather crowded, and Jack was pinned against the side, but they managed it alright. Carting him up the ramp and past the globe, they made their way into the infirmary, two more yetis taking up sentry positions outside the door as they entered.

The infirmary didn't actually _look_ like an infirmary. More like a lounge, really, only there weren't enough seats to actually classify as such. It wasn't all that large and was shaped almost like an angular fan someone had cut a large portion of the bottom off of. On the wall in which the door was set was a series of three oak cabinets, stained a beautiful mahogany, presumably for the storage of medical supplies and linens.

The back wall, which bent around so that it was both across from, and to the left of, the door, was virtually _made_ of tall windows, save for the left hand corner. This corner was paneled in more mahogany and in it a very comfortable looking bed was positioned. Next to the bed was a couch that looked soft enough to sink into and a small wooden stool that looked the stark opposite of the couch in comfort level.

The right-hand wall sported a few plush chairs which matched the couch, more cabinets and a desk - as well as what appeared to be some sort of chem-lab. That and a waist-high med table, wooden cart - which was already laid out with supplies -  and large metal tub at its center were the only items in the room that really made the its true purpose obvious.  The tub was filled about halfway with water that was cold, but not freezing. They wanted to cool Bunny down, but not too fast. It wouldn't do to put him into shock on top of everything else.

The yetis did not immediately put Bunny in the tub, depositing their charge with haste on the nearby medical table instead. One of them, a grey with a white mustache and brown eyes, used a rather odd-looking thermometer, which would have been right at home in a steampunk setting, to check his internal temperature. He shook his head in disbelief as the resulting readout of  112` flashed in orange on the screen.

Another yeti, this one light tan with white arms speckled in brown, set about placing ice packs in strategic points on Bunny’s body - armpits, inner elbows, either side of his neck... - wherever there were a large amount of blood vessels close to the skin.

As the yeti did this, there was a commotion outside the door. The sentry yetis, who had been told not to let _anyone_ in were presently having a rather heated argument that, at times, seemed to be one sided, while the rest of the time they were countered by an _obviously_ panicked and clearly female voice. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Sandy and Tooth had arrived, apparently expecting to be let in and were affronted by the yetis' rebuff. North let the sentries handle it. He had no time to deal with explaining why they could not be present as he was treating Bunny. He briefly considered asking Jack to leave as well, but thought better of it. Jack was clearly much better off where he was and his abilities, while weakened without his staff, could prove useful in helping Bunny.

Ignoring the noise in the hall, North reached into a drawer in the table and pulled out a set of electric shears, to which he attached a 1/8” blade guide. The guide would hold the blades away from the skin so that it would not make Bunny naked, but his fur would be trimmed short enough so as to make his skin easier to see and his body easier to cool, and to dry when they were done. Flipping the switch to the on position, he said to the comatose Pooka, “You will not _like_ me very much when you wake up, Old Friend, but better to have _angry_ Bunny than _dead_ Bunny, da?”

As he proceeded to shave Bunny’s fur to about the length of a young kit’s, North revealed more and more skin covered in red dots and, even more disturbing, widespread bruising. This proved what Jack had feared - Bunny was most definitely bleeding internally. It meant that he was in more danger than North had originally thought. _Were we too late?_ St. Nicholas wondered. Shaking off the gloom, he thought, _No! No such thing! You are not going anywhere, my friend. We are too stubborn, you and I._ He continued to shear off much of the blood encrusted fur, completing his work as quickly as he could. His haste resulted in a rather sloppy clip loaded with thin bands of uncut fur that gave Bunny the appearance of a zebra, but it didn’t matter. He could neaten it up after he was out of danger.

Jack tried not to smile a little at the choppy shave job. Had they not _just_ talked about how Bunny didn’t want to be shaved? His smile faded a bit as he considered Bunny's reaction at the time. There had been true _terror_ in his eyes when he'd dared suggest it. Fear so much _stronger_ than you would find in one who was just afraid of being embarrassed. He couldn't have looked more scared if Jack had been actively trying to _drown_ him - a feeling he knew first hand. Why the Pooka had been so afraid of being shaved, he didn't know, but it was too late now. However he reacted when he opened his eyes, Bunny would get over it, Jack was sure.

As the two yetis helped North to slowly lower Bunnymund into the bath, Jack began shaking... no, _shivering._ Jack Frost was no longer familiar with the sensation of shivering. He was a _frost sprite_. Frost sprites don't _shiver_ \- not from cold anyway.., but then, this had nothing to do with being cold... This was _fear_. The water in the tub had almost immediately taken on a pink hue as Bunny’s blood spread out from his body and combined with the bathwater, quickly darkening to a deep, translucent red.

North gaped at the swirling color. _He is losing too much blood!_ he realized. He called the grey yeti over and told him, “Prepare two IVs. One for fluids, other for blood transfusion.”

Upon hearing the words ‘blood transfusion’, dizziness crept up on Jack. He found his knees giving out, and he stumbled forward and gripped onto the side of the tub with one hand. He didn’t have _time_ for this, he didn’t want to pass out or something… Bunny needed his help to _breathe._ The tan yeti looked up at him from his work, and Jack shook his head at the furry man. “Fine. I’m _fine._ Just tripped,” he assured him, if only because he did not want to be a distraction. The yeti grunted in response whilst his fellow did as North had instructed, going to one of the oak cabinets, which actually turned out to be a refrigerator, and removing two bags - One filled with a clear liquid, the other red.

Meanwhile, the tan yeti lifted one of Bunny's arms and taped it to the wall of the tub so that it was out of the water, then did the same with the opposing arm. He shaved away what little fur was left on the insides of the Pooka's elbows and then cleaned the skin with an alcohol wipe in preparation for the grey yeti to set up the IVs.

North stayed by Bunny’s head, hands cupping it and keeping it above water. In this position, he was also able to monitor Bunny's heart rate, which he was alarmed to feel was _dangerously_ low. With his current ailment, his heart should be _racing,_ but it _wasn't_. This was bad. This meant that his heart was _giving up_. The Russian kept it to himself for now, in order to avoid needlessly scaring Jack, and prayed that Bunny would hold out until they could get his blood level back up.

All of this had Jack Frost _nauseated, light headed,_ and _scared._ When the baggie of blood carried by the grey yeti came into view, his vision became speckled with black fuzziness. Eyes dodging downwards, he stared intently at the bellows in his hands. He didn’t know how a blood transfusion was performed or exactly what was going to happen with that blood, but he knew it involved _needles_ and if Jack saw a needle he would surely _faint._ As it was he felt like he might anyway. He made a gurgled noise in the back of his throat, fighting back the urge to vomit, then asked, “W-What are you going to do with the blood?"

Observing closely to make certain everything went smoothly while one IV was carefully inserted into each of Bunny's arms, the Guardian of Wonder did not look at Jack as he told him, "Blood is for transfusion. He has lost too much. Without transfusion, he will _die._ ” It was a rather simple answer and one that didn't tell Jack anything he didn't already know. Well, except for the 'Bunny dying' part. He knew Bunny was in bad shape, but he hadn't known he had lost enough blood to _kill_ him! Just how many times in one day could a person nearly die anyway? Jack was pretty certain he didn't want to know the answer to that question. Counting now, the three times they'd almost lost Bunny already were more than enough for him.

Jack didn't join North in watching, of course. Not when the needles were inserted into Bunny's arms, not when the bags were hung on the IV poles, or when they were attached to the IV lines. He didn't look up until North said, "Is ok, Jack. Is safe to look now. Dimitri has finished."

When he did at last gather the courage to lift his eyes, the winter sprite saw that two lines were now feeding into Bunny's arms, one clear the other... he had to look away from. His gaze instead followed the clear line to its attached bag, which was labeled 'Lactated Ringers Solution'. Jack had _no idea_ what that was, but he assumed it had something to do with cooling Bunny down. He was only partly right. It was cool and would help to lower his temperature, but it was primarily to combat dehydration. In spite of having heatstroke, Bunny had not had a _single_ drink since before leaving his warren. It was a fact that was compromising his condition further and so needed to be addressed.

Jack _tried_ not to glance at the other bag, but it was as if someone had told him _not_ to look down, he just _couldn't_ avoid it. He had intended to immediately look away again but, when his eyes fell on the label, something about it gave him pause. It _was_ labeled as blood, however, where one would normally write in a blood type such as 'A positive' or 'O', it instead read simply 'Bunny'. This was _Bunny's own blood._ Not blood from some donor, but from Bunny _himself_.

"Where did you even _get_ some of Bunny's blood?” Jack asked incredulously, “I mean, he’s not human… Obviously human b-blood won’t work… But that's actually _Bunny's_ blood?"

Even though the situation was dire, having nothing better to do considering he was just preventing Bunny from going under, North elected to humor Jack with an explanation, if only to distract him from his distress. “You are right, Jack,” he agreed, “Human blood would not do. We could not use rabbit blood either, because he is not _really_ a rabbit. He is a Pooka.” He looked down at his weakened friend, a determined look on his face that was touched with worry and just a bit of sadness. “Bunny… is last of his kind. We know this. We Guardians get hurt... we _can_ die. We know this as well.”

Santa shifted his position as his legs and back began to get stiff from bending over the tub, but continued his explanation while he searched for a way to relieve the discomfort. “So we take precaution. Bunny’s idea.” Looking around, he spotted a stool behind him. He passed his gaze from one yeti to the next, but none were available to get it for him. While hooking the leg of the stool with his foot, he continued, “We take a little _here_ , little _there_ from him. Keep it for later, in case of emergencies.” He settled onto the stool with a sigh and returned his attention to Jack, saying, “I believe this qualifies as emergency, da?”

The IVs were now in place and North watched it for a moment, willing them to keep his friend alive even as his heart slowed further. He leaned down, rested his forehead against Bunny’s and murmured, “Vse budet khorosho , moy droog. Vy ne odinoki . YA ne budu teryat’ nadezhdu,” which was Russian for, “Everything is going to be alright, my friend. You are not alone. I will not give up hope.” Then, remembering the old magic taught to him by Ombric, North began to softly chant the words, “I believe, I believe, I believe…” over and over, it became his mantra as the long minutes passed.

Perhaps _North_ had not given up hope, but its Guardian _had._ Deep within the darkest recesses of himself to which his consciousness had retreated, Bunny waited for the end. He saw Jack’s face in his mind. So much fear and hurt and all because of _him!_ Jack had been crying when last he’d looked at him through fading vision. As blackness came to claim him, he felt the hot tears that dropped onto his face and ears. It had all been too much to bear. He _knew_ he was dying, knew Jack _could not_ save him this time and he couldn't stand to see the effect it was having on him, so he had _escaped_.

As the long minutes dragged on and he was still somehow breathing, Bunny thought of his friends. How would his death effect them? He knew already that Jack would cry. North and Sandy probably would as well. Perhaps even Toothiana, though she would most likely wait until she could be alone. Ever the _proud_ Queen, she would not want her friends to see her tears.

And how would the Guardians fair in _battle_ now? Could they fight off Pitch _without_ his help? He had been instrumental many a time, powered by his gourmet chocolates which gave him abilities and physical prowess well beyond his natural skill-set. He also held one of the Lunar Relics, an egg-shaped stone, affixed to his long-neglected staff. Would they be able to find its hiding place should it be needed? Then there was the light of the universe, which Pitch so feared, also in his possession. Would they be able to find their way back to his gallery of eggs where it waited within its special egg-shaped container for a time of great darkness to return light to the world.

As he pondered these things, he became aware of a presence. Something else was there with him. A black and terrible specter, laughing cruelly in his ear. _I win…_ a cold voice crooned to him, _I said I would destroy **every last one** of your damnable brotherhood and now I **have.** How does it **feel,** Guardian of **Hope,** to give up at last? _ Bunny curled in on himself, trying to block out the words. Only _one person_ would say such things to him. He knew that voice. It was Pitch - and he was right. Bunny could do nothing to stop what was happening. _But don’t worry, rabbit. Your friends will be along soon enough. You are only the first. One by one, the Guardians will fall to my plans._

In his mind, the Pooka leapt to his feet and launched a phantom boomerang at the shadows. "Ya'll never win, Pitch!" he shouted, catching the useless item as it returned, "The Guardians'll knock yer block off and _drag yer ass_ back ta Manny fer this!" Bunny peered into the obscurity around him, trying to find the source of the voice, but it was no use. There was nothing there to see. Only Pitch's _voice_ was present to torture him as it saw fit.

 _Going to tattle on me, are they? Oh, I'm so frightened!_ Pitch mocked on, _You know as well as I that losing you will weaken them all!_ The Nightmare King's voice took on a phony note of concern as he needled Bunny with, _Oh! But the heat is still rising, Rabbit. I wonder what will happen when the fairies begin to follow your stunning lead? Or North's reindeer? You know they are not meant for warmer climates. It won't be long before they become ill as well. And poor Sandy! It's so very hard to give children sweet dreams when they can't sleep because of the heat!_

The dream-Bunny's eyes went wide as he realized that Pitch was again right. If they couldn't _stop_ the heat wave somehow, _every one_ of the Guardians would eventually die or fade away. He fell to his knees, then onto his side, and again curled into a tight ball. It felt like _hours_ before Pitch eventually gave up on tormenting him and left him there to die.

While hiding in his own mind, Bunny had missed North’s arrival and their journey to the pole, been _blissfully_ unaware of going through the portal, of being shaved and submerged in cold water and of IVs puncturing his arms. All of these things had been _inconsequential_ to him while Pitch had invaded his consciousness, but now his body was beginning to cool. Now he was beginning to come back to himself. Now he heard the Russian’s words. He still could not feel what was happening to him, but North’s concern came through _loud and clear_ and it brought him comfort, however small. It awakened something within him. Something that _remembered_ the living world. Something that wanted to _return._ That told him he _could_. Hope had found him once again. So, in his mind, he joined the chant. I believe… I believe… I believe…

Sandy and Tooth were anxious, to say the least. North had arrived with Bunny and sent a yeti to talk to them. What the yeti had said was very concerning. Heatstroke? Profuse bleeding? Unconscious and unresponsive? These did not paint a very bright prognosis. _Then_ the yeti had told them they were to _stay put_ and _wait for news_. They had gone to see Bunny right away, of course. Who was that yeti to tell them they couldn't? However, they found room was under guard! They _reasoned_ with the yetis guarding the door, then they _demanded_ entry and finally _pleaded_ to be let in.

Eventually it became clear that no amount of arguing would get them through that door and they resigned themselves to waiting in the Globe Hall. They focused on their jobs as best they could, but ended up pacing as they worked. Tooth absently commanding her fairies as they returned for orders every few minutes and Sandy sending out mass-dreams to whole clusters of people. In between, they spoke worriedly about what was going on with Bunny. This was what they had been doing for the better part of an hour.

"What could be _taking_ so long?" Tooth asked of the air for perhaps the hundredth time. No one would answer of course, save for the Sandman's non-committal shrug, which had been his response for the past twenty or so times she had said it. One could only try to answer the same hypothetical question so many times before it became frustrating.

Sandy's face took on a _devious_ look and a yeti of sand standing guard appeared over his head. Then sand representations of himself and Tooth snuck quietly past the yetis. This was Sandy's way of suggesting that they try to sneak in.

Toothiana shook her head rapidly, "No, Sandy. North wants us to wait, so we're going to wait," she sighed, "We'd never get past the ye..." and then she suddenly got very quiet. The words 'I believe' had begun to tickle at the back of her mind and, if the look on his face was anything to go by, Sandy had felt it too. _Somehow_ , they always knew when one of their number was casting this spell. The sand figure of North chanting that floated over Sandy's head was clear confirmation that she had felt right. "It's North," Tooth whispered fearfully, tears filling her eyes. "He's _losing Bunny_."

Sandy shook his head forcefully and showed her an image of them chanting as well. He needn't have bothered, as she had already joined in and so he took up the chant, if only within his head - I believe... I believe... I believe...

All anyone could really do now was to check Bunny's temperature at regular intervals, continue the chant and pray to MiM that it worked. At one point a yeti changed out the empty blood bag for another and North occasionally asked Jack to cool the water down as Bunny’s overheated body warmed it up. The rest was just waiting. It went on like this for quite some time and, much to everyone’s vast relief, his temperature was steadily dropping.

Jack tried his hardest to be helpful…  He had to cool the water by touching it, dipping his hand into essentially a pool of diluted blood, while continuing to pump the bellows with his other hand. His hands were getting _tired,_ it was _difficult_ to use his powers without his staff, and it _forced him_ to face his own fears, making him both uncomfortable and braver, but he managed. Luckily for everyone, he avoided fainting. For a moment there he thought he might, and just fall face first into the tub and drown. The irony in that would have been _tragically beautiful._

Eventually the bleeding stopped, as evidenced by the blood on Bunny's face and ears beginning to dry with no fresh blood rewetting it, and North decided it was time to remove the tube. Passing off the duty of holding Bunny’s head above water to one of the yetis, he relieved Jack of his burden. He then withdrew the tube very slowly so as not to damage the delicate tissues of Bunny’s throat. It wasn’t a pretty sight as it emerged, all covered in partially coagulated blood and saliva. Bunny twitched, one hand coming up on reflex to swipe feebly at the offending tube, but he reacted no more than that.

Now that his hands were free, Jack absently traced one up Bunny’s arm, a soft smile coming to his face. He was so _proud_ that Bunny was breathing on his own that the ooze on the tube hadn't even fazed him. He was just glad it was out of him. Something about all the tubes had made Bunny appear rather _pathetic_ and one less improved that appearance _immensely._

North was still doing that ‘I believe’ chant. It intrigued Jack. It seemed to be important, North looking like he was counting on it to help somehow. Though the teen didn't know that it was a spell, he leaned forward to whisper into the Pooka’s big, droopy ear. “I believe in you too. I believe... I believe... I believe...”

Whether Jack's support had been the catalyst, or the timing was just _dumb luck_ , no one would ever know, but it was then that one of the yeti, who had been performing the latest temperature check, grinned at North and said, “Fadaka pawoota!” holding the thermometer out for North to see.

“One hundred and three point four… _He is out of woods!!!”_ the Russian whooped, capturing Jack in a _crushing_ bear hug and, unfortunately, causing him to miss the tiniest _flick_ of a smile that twitched the corners of Bunny’s mouth, as the Pooka heard his whispered words.

To Bunny, it was like a promise for future days. A promise that there would _be_ future days. Jack and North were there and they believed in him. If they were certain he was going to live, then _perchance_ he would. It buoyed his rekindled hope and helped it to grow stronger which, in turn, helped _him_ to grow stronger. Ombric had always said, “Magic’s real power is in belief.” _I believe… I believe… I believe…_ The simplest magic spell and _maybe_ the most powerful of all.

Even the crushing grip of North's hug made Jack smile and relax. He was comfortable there. North was happy, Bunny was going to be okay and Jack was more relieved than he’d ever been. “He’s _okay?”_ he asked, just for good measure. To know for certain.

North set Jack back on his feet and beamed at him. “Da, Jack. He will be alright now. Much thanks to _you.”_

So much relief washed over Jack, but it was backed by more distress and discomfort. He knew that, even though Bunny was out of the woods, he _still_ had to recover. He knew that not all was well. The weather hadn’t changed, it was still _beyond hot_ in Burgess and much of the rest of the world. It was still _far_ too hot for Bunny to work in, and it was still going to _ruin_ Easter. Jack was about _sick_ of Easter being ruined. Maybe it was time for Valentine’s Day to get messed up or something.

North's smile faltered a bit as he got a good look at the frost sprite. Now that Bunny was out of danger and he was not so focused on caring for him, he was really _seeing_ the teen for the first time in hours. He was _thrilled_ to know that his friend would live, but it did not blind him to how haggard poor Jack appeared. “Jack, you do not look so good. I think it best you go rest. Is _okay_. Danger is past."

“He can’t _possibly_ deliver eggs on Easter, like this,” Jack pointed out, looking up at North. “It’s _too_ _hot_ for him. Maybe even too hot for _us._ If there’s no Easter, Bunny will _fade_ … We’ve got to figure this out.”

With a shake of his head, North told him, "I will send yetis for you when Bunny is waking up. _Then_ we will talk about Easter and reason I summoned you.”

Jack studied the Pooka for a moment, trying to assess his condition, despite the fact that he knew nothing about medicine. Even to his untrained eye, Bunny seemed to be doing better and North _had_ said he would be alright. Supposing he had no choice but to trust in North's instincts, with an exhausted sigh, Jack said simply, "Thanks," then took the advice to heart and left the infirmary in search of a bed.   

As Jack went in search of a bed, a part of Bunny was _already_ waking up. Tentatively, he began to reconnect to his body. Awareness slowly returning to him, he began to feel again and he felt… _wet? Oh, right. Ah was in the pond._ But something was _wrong_ with that thought… he could feel water _all around him_. Was he _back_ in the pond? As he explored his senses further he noted that he also felt hot inside, but cold on the outside. That didn’t make any sense either. With all these mixed signals, his confused body began to shiver...

North watched Jack leave, then turned back to Bunny. His brow furrowed as he noticed something had changed. Bunny was shivering!  Quickly, he touched a wrist to his head and discovered that he was still on the hot side, which meant he wasn’t actually cold. If he was shivering and he _wasn’t_ cold, it meant he was losing heat _too fast_ now and they needed to change tactics. Shivering would counteract their efforts and cause him to get _hotter_ again. He could also go into shock and if _that_ happened... No. That _wouldn't_ happen. North wouldn't _let it_.

North commanded the yetis, “Alright. Time to get Bunny out of water!” They rushed over and removed Bunny from the tub, lifting him easily. “Put him here,” North told the yetis with a gesture to the recovery bed, while he procured some dry towels from a cabinet on the far wall. The yetis did as ordered, one of them also moving the IV pole.

Laying limp on the bed with IVs attached to his arms, E. Aster Bunnymund had never looked so _wretched_ in all his extremely long life. He was sopping wet and sloppily shaved, what fur North had left to him was stained an _appalling_ shade of red, he was _absolutely covered_ in bruises and those little red blister-like spots and he was _wrinkled_ up like an _old prune_. North intended to fix that part.

Nicholas tossed a towel to the yetis and they began to rub Bunnymund dry. “No rubbing!” Santa warned, “If we rub, it will make him _hotter_. Pat gently. Only take off worst of wet.” His intent was to keep just enough water on the rabbit for him to still cool off, but not so fast that he shivered. When they had finished, North laid a light sheet over him.

After a while, Bunny's shivering subsided and he lay quiet. Breathing now at a normal rhythm and face placid, he seemed for all the world to simply be taking a nap, which wasn't too far from true. While the Pooka had been _somewhat_ aware of being lifted out of the tub and had _felt_ the patting as he was dried - and a part of him _did_ want to know what was happening to him - he was _beyond_ exhausted. Right now he wanted nothing more than to rest and so he _did,_ much to North's relief.

Bunny stabilized, Nicholas took the opportunity to leave the infirmary to find Sandy and Tooth. On his way out, he instructed the yetis to inform him _immediately_ if there were any changes in their patient.

It was very peaceful in the infirmary now. One would never guess the chaos there had been here just a short while ago. In all the _tranquility_ , one might not have thought it unusual when a sparrow alighted on the windowsill. One might have thought it was simply the birds returning from their winter homes. Nothing strange about that... but this was the North Pole and, had they seen it, the yetis would have found it _very_ strange.


	8. In Which Bunny Has a Bad Hare Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bunny is now on the road to recovery and he and Jack finally have a chance to rest, but nightmares, both real and conjured by the sleeping mind, make their rest less than peaceful. Will Jack finally see to his own needs and how will Bunnymund react to his new 'hare cut'?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Just a warning for graphic nightmare gore in this one.
> 
> \- Since everyone seems confused by the sparrow: Sparrows cannot survive the cold of the arctic. The sparrow is there to hint that the pole has heated to the point that small birds can stand the temperature and the temperate regions, where they normally go in the spring, have heated to the point that they are having to escape farther north to avoid dying in the heat.

Jack was  _exhausted_. This had been one of the longest days of his life. He had  _never_ had to use his powers constantly for so many hours on end and it was a frightening thought that, if  _not_  for those powers, he'd likely be in a state much the same as Bunny. Only his naturally lower body temperature and his magic, which kept it that way, had saved him. Well, removing his hoodie  _had_  helped... Jack shook his head as the image of Bunny's goofy grin when he'd first laid eyes on his shirtless physique popped into his mind. What was that look all about anyway?

In spite of his condition, as he dragged himself away from the source of his anxiety, his first thought  _wasn't_  of sleep. First he wanted to get  _clean._  Honestly, who could sleep with those stains on their hands? Not one to take a shower when he was so wiped out, his chosen option was to just wash up in the sink, so he made his way to one of the Pole's many bathrooms to find one.

Finding one didn't take long. Just a few doors down the hall was all the distance Jack needed cover. It was a not a  _small_  bathroom by any means, but then, nothing much at the Pole  _was_  small. North had a taste for the extravagant. Nearly every room at the Pole was oversized with walls made of warm woods, fittings of bright metals and floors of cold stone.

The cold of that stone beneath his feet didn't bother Jack, however warm water was an interesting change of pace from the cool tub of liquid he'd been dealing with just before. It served to soothe him by rinsing away the red that felt as though it were  _sinking_  into his very  _skin_... Bunny's  _blood_. Silently, he wished it could rinse away the memories as well. He tried his best to get all of the stains off of himself. From his chest, his face, his arms, his hands, under his finger nails - even rubbing at a large spot on his pants, although it seemed  _that one_  was permanent. A fact that was rather annoying to him. They were the only pants he owned and he really didn't want to be wearing a reminder of the day he nearly got the Easter Bunny  _killed_  for the rest of eternity.

Eventually he gave up on attempting to clean the spot off of his pants and went to retrieve his hoodie and staff, which were still back at the sleigh. He needed those, of course. Jack Frost couldn't sleep without his staff at his side and he held a certain fondness for that hoodie. What if something happened to them? The hoodie he _could_  live without, but his staff? He dodged past the various elves and yetis of the workshop in order to backtrack to the sleigh.  _Ah_ , there they were. Still on the seat of the sleigh, safe and...

Stained. The hoodie was  _stained_. He tried not to openly pout at the sight, but he simply couldn't bring himself to put it on knowing it was covered with blood. It needed to be washed… He sighed to himself and began to walk back to the sink he had previously washed his hands in. Stuffing the hoodie in the sink, he filled it with cool water. Just as it had in the tub Bunnymund had been cooled in, the water stained pink fairly quickly. It made him _cringe_. He felt pretty guilty about all of this…

With soap and cold water he was able to wash out most the stain, however there was a slight discoloration to it which just refused to be removed. It had been left for too long. The stain had _set_. First his pants and  _now_  his hoodie... Sighing, he hung the sweat shirt over a towel rack to dry and wandered back out into the hall.

Rather than greet the other Guardians - who he  _knew_  would have questions he didn't feel up to answering right now - he slipped away into a room where he could collapse onto a bed and nap in silence. He was so tired he was sure he would pass out the moment his head hit a pillow…

…but he _couldn't._

Jack's head was spinning. It was  _his fault_. It was all settling on him like a pile of bricks. If he hadn't gone to ask Bunny for help, he would have  _never_  had a heat stroke. It was  _all_   _his fault._  And what had he  _done?_  He'd  _made fun_ of Bunnymund for panting in the heat.  _Why_ had he done that? It was  _awful_ of him! Would Bunny ever forgive him for what he'd done to him? Not just the teasing, but everything else too. How could such a sin  _ever_ be forgiven? How could he make up for his crime?

He must have laid there for over an hour, simply trying to force away the thoughts. He couldn't do it. It was _painful!_  He was so, _so_ tired, but not for half an instant would sleep come to him. He lay there in a guilt-filled stupor, thoughts of regret, apologies and redemption swirling through his mind. It was several hours more before,  _finally,_ he managed to shut out the world, and let darkness claim him…

He shook his head and covered his mouth. "What do you  _mean?_ " He asked, eyes reflecting the  _mountains_  of shock he felt. His heart was racing. "Y-you said he was going to be  _okay!"_

Blue eyes tilted up to look at North, although he was shrouded by darkness, a strict frown the likes of which Jack had never seen on his lips before in place. Toothiana and the Sandman both stood on either side of him, and were equally as dark.

"We  _thought_  he would be, Jack, but  _something_ has happened." Tooth whispered from North's side. She wrung her hands together, and Jack's attention moved to her.

" _What_  happened?" Jack asked, a bubble of fear in his throat.

Sandy looked at the floor, but above his head played out a number of signs. An image of a sleeping bunny, who breathed. A figure of a man. The man  _strangled_ the rabbit, and Jack's stomach twisted. "S-someone _k-killed him?_ "

"Not someone.  _You!"_  Toothiana accused.

Jack gasped and stepped back. " _What?!_ "

"Look at your _hands,_  Jack!"

And he did. His eyes lowered and once more his hands were covered in  _that blood,_  scarlet and bright. Had it been there a moment ago? He looked back up to see Tooth pointing to a stretcher, one he was  _certain_  had not been there previously. Under a white sheet was the easily identified form of the Pooka. Jack couldn't feel himself moving, but he closed it on it… and he reached out to touch the sheet, intending to pull it back. When he placed his fingertips on it, however, the shape suddenly ' _popped_ '. A  _gush_  of blood splattered on all sides of the stretcher, and the sheet lay flat on the metal bed, as if Bunny's body  _had never been there_   _at all_.

 _"BUNNY!"_ Jack gasped. He sputtered, sitting straight up on the bed he'd fallen asleep on. He instantly lifted his hands up to look at them... and released adeep breath when he saw they were clean. He pressed one of them against his heart, feeling it beat so fast. There was a  _reason_  why Jack refrained from sleeping. It was _terrifying_. He shifted to stand up. He  _had_  to check on him. He didn't expect that the fever dream had any _meaning_ behind it, but he just… needed to be sure.

Jack drifted down the hall in relative stealth, past North's office and, able to fly again now that he had his staff, detoured across the Globe Hall and up one level to the room where he _prayed_ the Easter Bunny still slept.

In the office he had passed sat the great old Cossack. Checking the names on his list in quiet contemplation, he made sure that each name was where it should be. Those whose behavior remained unchanged stayed on whichever list they were on, while those whose behavior had improved or worsened were moved to the opposing list. He only did this a few times a year because the lists were so very long but, even though he normally waited until May for this, today he found the familiar task to be a much-needed distraction.

Preferring relative silence for the job at hand, his record player, which normally blared inspiring classical music, sat neglected in the corner. The only sounds were those of the yetis out in the workshop and the soft ticking of the grandfather clock on the far wall. The door he left open a bit, so that he could hear should one of the yetis call for him. There were none of the furry men in the infirmary at the moment, but they were tasked with checking on Bunny every half hour and instructed to yell should he be needed.

The sound which caused him to look up from his work, however, was  _not_  a yell, but a whisper... barely there. A soft rustling, like the passing of a leaf on a gentle spring breeze. Getting up from his desk, he crept to the doorway and peered cautiously out into the hall. Nothing. "Hmmmm..." he rumbled, then thought, _I was certain I heard...,_  but his thoughts were interrupted as he crossed to the railing and looked out at the globe. A flash of movement on the next level had caught his eye and he inclined his head to see, a knowing smile on his face, the end of a familiar staff which disappeared into the infirmary, the door clicking shut behind its owner.

The infirmary was still eerily quiet, and Jack winced when the door creaked  _ever so slightly_. He meant just to peek in - to look and see if Bunny's chest was still moving. He felt as though he owed him such an apology… and he had been shaken by that nightmare.

For that reason, the frost sprite had slipped back into the room, shut the door behind him, and quietly approached the bed that Bunnymund had been moved to. He looked much more alive now than he had when he's last seen him. Still blood-stained and bedraggled, but otherwise normal. Even his IVs had been removed at some point.

Jack looked around for a chair, but settled for pulling up a stool. He tugged it to the side of the bed, took a seat on it and propped his staff against the wall. With a silent sigh, he leaned forward and folded his arms on the bed. He didn't want to wake the Pooka, of course. Jack just needed to sleep, too, and he wasn't going to get any if he wasn't assured of Bunny's safety. He rested his chin on his folded arms, and closed his eyes. At least this way… no matter how guilty he felt… Jack could be  _absolutely_  certain that Bunny was okay.

A few hours later...

Brow furrowing as he was roused from his slumber by a bright light across his eyes, Bunny scrunched them tightly closed and groggily tried to roll away from the offending beam, only to discover that there was something, or rather,  _someone_ in his way. He grunted softly and chanced to lift his lids  _just_ a hair, the light of the Pole's 'midnight sun' making his eyes sting and water. Rubbing them with an aching paw, he glanced down at his unexpected bedfellow and found his gaze met by a puff of silver-white hair. A soft hum of amusement sounded deep within his chest and a contented smile enveloped his face. He was  _truly happy_  to find Jack here upon his waking.

As though it had a mind of its own, Bunny's paw reached out to stroke Jack's hair, just once, the touch ever so light. " _Jack?"_  Bunny said, his voice a hoarse whisper. Receiving no response, he assumed the teen was down for the count. As he brought his hand down to rest on one firm shoulder, he noted the tension present even as the teen slept and had to resist the sudden urge to massage every one of those knots away.

Instead, the Pooka regarded Jack thoughtfully for a while. He watched the slow rise and fall of his still-shirtless back as he breathed, observed the way his chin rested heavily on his crossed arms. Eyes following the  _finely sculpted_  lines of those arms up and over the crest of his shoulders and then down his athletic body to where alabaster flesh vanished  _tantalizingly_  beneath covetous clothing, a  _funny feeling_  coiled in Aster's lower abdomen. He felt a pang of shame for ogling Jack like this while he slept unawares and pondered whether to wake him and break the spell of this moment or just  _enjoy_  it for a while.

He would let Jack sleep for now, Bunnymund decided, although he  _swore_  to himself no more checking out defenseless sleeping men. With a contented sigh, he rested his paws on his chest, lacing his fingers together, and closing his eyes. Honestly, he enjoyed the company - and the view -, but he was rather fond of the quiet as well and he was certain that, should his visitor wake, the quiet would be gone as fast as a dingo caught in a hen house.

Bunny thought back to the pond and the events there. He had passed out, nearly drowned, been saved  _by Jack_ , tried to walk, stumbled and was caught  _by Jack._ Then  _Jack_ had frozen his fur for him. When that didn't cool him fast enough,  _Jack_ had iced his ears for him and when he'd cracked a fruity and begun to bleed,  _Jack had cried for him_. Again and again, it was  _Jack._

What had  _he_  done for his savior? Nothing. Other than to become a major burden. Bunny had meant to help the fledgling Guardian find his believers. Had meant to _help_  him assuage his fears and discover the reason for his powers failing him. Instead, the Pooka had dropped a bomb on the whole plan by being _too weak_  to handle the heat, nearly  _dying_  and eventually passing out. _Some help he was_.

Regret began to fill Aster and he felt a tightness in his chest as he opened his eyes and once again fixated on Jack. "Sorry, Snowflake," he ground out, momentarily throwing himself off with his spontaneous use of a nickname he'd never even considered before then. He reached out and slowly -  _tenderly_  -, brushed a thumb over Jack's cheek several times as he said, "Ah've made ya worry about me an' Ah've scared ya somethin' awful... An' Ah can't  _believe_  ya like me even though Ah yell at ya like Ah do. Seems like  _all I do_  sometimes is hurt ya. Ah'm gonna make it up to ya, though. Sure as Ah'm a true blue Aussie. That's a  _promise._ "

The Easter Bunny traced his fingertips down the line of Jack's jaw from ear to neck and smiled sadly. He had no idea if Jack had heard him or not and wasn't sure which way he wanted it to be at this juncture, but he'd had to get it off of his chest. Even if only for his own benefit.

As all of this was happening, Jack slept on. He did not wake when Bunnymund first began to stir, was  _vaguely_ aware of being touched, but not so much that he woke. He just exhaled softly and continued to snooze away the long day.

He found himself dreaming then, and the idea of being in a dream  _scared_ him. He'd just suffered through  _one_ nightmare, did he truly deserve _another?_  He realized soon that he was simply dreaming of the Warren, of shoving Bunny's shoulder playfully and laughing when he was accused of cheating in their last race. Knowing Jack, he probably  _was_ cheating. He  _always_  cheated in those races, because Bunny was just _too fast_  for him on his own. They were just talking, Jack was laughing and Bunnymund wore  _that_  smile on his face - the  _almost_  carefree one that Jack strived to create with his constant jokes and games.

He was startled when the conversation of his dream turned more serious, to an apology, and he was silenced by the way the strange confession began with Bunny's paw on his face, his thumb grazing over the skin of Jack's cheek bone. He was  _stunned_  by the name used.  _Snowflake_. So stunned that he looked down, closed his eyes and was lost in thinking about it.

Did Bunny know what a snowflake _was?_  Well, obviously, he did - he was older than dirt - but did he know that, to Jack, a snowflake held  _special_  meaning? A snowflake was a common thing, coming down in blankets with every winter storm. Snowflakes came in the billions - _trillions_  even. Covered  _whole regions_  in a thick layer of white.

There was  _more_  though! Snowflakes shared a  _special_ trait. Temperature, humidity, wind, distance…  _all_  of these things affected a snowflake's shape, and it was nearly _impossible_  for two snowflakes to be alike. Each was  _individual_  - its own work of art - its own special beauty _._  A snowflake was  _one_ in a billion. To call Jack a snowflake was more of a compliment than anything else. It wasn't _frostbite_ , it wasn't an  _ailment._ Not something that _destroyed._.. something that caused  _pain._ A snowflake was something  _special._

Those thoughts flooded his brain, and he looked up with a start to realize that he'd almost missed the whole conversation. When the hand moved from his cheek and trailed down his jaw line and neck, it made him relax, and a smile came over him. Yes, he was aware he was  _dreaming_ , but something about this felt so much more  _real_. It was a number of seconds before he realized he couldn't speak. His mouth felt like it wouldn't form words, like he couldn't  _open it_  anymore, and  _that_ was what brought him fully awake.

The first thing he became aware of was his chin still laying on his arms, which explained why he couldn't speak. He couldn't physically open his mouth like that. He very nearly just turned his head and went back to sleep, but realized something  _vital_. Peeking open one eyelid, he confirmed it. That hand was _truly_  touching his neck. He hadn't dreamed  _that_  part.

Bunny snatched his paw back upon seeing the thin line of blue peering at him, feeling a bit like he'd been caught red handed. He was _fairly certain_ his guest had heard at least part of what he'd said and he was  _damn sure_  he had noticed the placement of his paw.

Based on the expression Bunny wore when he opened his other bleary eye, Jack wondered if he had dreamed  _any of it_  at all, or if he had been whisked away in a half conscious reality. Part of him  _liked_  the idea that it had been real - That he had  _actually_  been compared to a snowflake...

Then Bunny did a most surprising thing... he spoke a soft and raspy, "Hey there, Snowflake." and Jack's eyes widened.

He'd said it  _again_... Snowflake... Jack sucked in a breath and, though he'd thought his first words to Bunny would be to ask if he was alright, he found himself remarkably silent. A smile came over him.  _Snowflake._  He'd  _really_ called him ' _Snowflake'_.

It was awkward, just staring at Bunny and smiling, saying nothing. Having been sleeping against his bed, half naked, having his fingers curled into the sheets that Bunny slept with... just awkward. When he finally came to see how strange he must have looked, Jack breathed in with  _every_ intention to speak. It  _came out_  as a quiet, deflated raspberry, which served to make Jack chuckle at himself, and he sat back and more upright, stretching out his sore back. He pushed his fingers through his hair, and then slumped a little while he watched Bunny, who had to suppress a snicker at his antics.

"You're not dead," Jack observed plainly.

Jack, the Pooka noted, had a penchant for pointing out the obvious.  _Of course_  he wasn't dead. If he  _was,_  would they be sitting here  _talking?_  He shook his head in amusement and quipped, "Nope. Not last time Ah checked. Unless ye're dead too an' the afterlife _happens_  ta look  _just_  like North's infirmary."

"If  _I_ were you, I might wish I  _was_." Jack gestured at him with one hand. "With that _shave job_... I mean, you look like a  _bad toupee_ ," he joked, attempting to clear the air with some much needed sarcasm. "Hey! What did the rabbit do when he had split ends? …He got a  _hare_  cut," he teased again, but his laugh melted into a gentle chuckle, and then he simply canted his head to the side and rolled his lips into a curious smile. "Get it?  _'Hare'_  cut?"

No. Bunnymund didn't get it. Jack's joke only served to confuse him. "What're ya on about, Frostbite?  _Shave job?_   _Hair cut?_ " he puzzled, "Ah haven't had any hair…" and then he lifted the sheet to see what Jack was talking about… and the bottom dropped out of his stomach, "…cut…" he squeaked.

Bunny's jaw fell to his chest and he goggled at his ragged pelt. It was very short for the most part, but there were strips where the hair was a bit longer and patches where the skin was nearly completely naked. The fact that he was also  _positively covered_  in the itchy brown of dried blood barely registered on him. Mercifully, the perpetrator had left a swath of longer fur down the center of his lower abdomen, thereby preserving Bunny's modesty, but he missed that as well, so shocked was he to see his poor  _once-beautiful_  coat.

For a good five seconds, Bunnymund sat absolutely still, frozen in place. He spent the  _next_  two seconds with his jaw opening and closing slowly and the three seconds  _after that_  making strange noises that could have been the start of words, but just came off as funny croaking sounds. He hesitantly stretched a hand toward his nearly-naked chest, as though afraid touching it would make the illusion he fervently  _begged_ the Gods this was, real. Real it was, however, he discovered to his dismay.

Jack stopped his teasing. It was too late, though. He'd already made the hare joke and he was busy covering his mouth to hide the smile spreading over it. He was _honestly and truly_ smiling over being called 'Snowflake'. It was a poor timed smile though, because, to the untrained eye, someone could mistake it to be a  _mocking_ smile. Hiding his laughter about the fur and Bunny's reaction to it.

There were a lot of things in this world that pissed Aster off, but this was a very  _personal_  violation. Never had anyone  _dared_ to do such a thing to him. He drew his legs up to his body to hide his shame as a million thoughts spun through his head. Why had they  _done_ this? How was he supposed to deliver eggs like  _this?_  What would the  _children_  think? Would Jack  _ever_  let him live this down? …Jack! He had joked about shaving him that very morning… and now he was still making  _jokes!_

Bunny turned horrified eyes to Jack, which quickly narrowed in fury at the grin he was trying to hide, "We'll see how hard ye're laughin' when Ah shove yer  _staff_  in yer  _bunghole!_ " he growled menacingly, still-extra gravelly component to his voice making it sound all the more threatening. "Wipe that  _drongo grin_ offa yer face, ya _larrikin!_ " the infuriated rabbit raged. "This _aint_   _bloody funny!_ "

Frankly, Jack was really amused about the fur. Despite Bunny's denial, it was funny, but it was also a shame. "You're gonna shove my staff  _where?_ " he laughed, but for once he had a pretty good idea of what 'bunghole' meant.

"Ya  _heard_ me! And ya'd  _deserve_ it after…" he paused, having to force the next word out, still in disbelief, "…shavin' me like this! Did a  _piss poor_  job'a it, too!" Aster picked idly at a bit of longer fur clumped together by dry blood, then scratched at his very itchy skin. He immediately regretted it, as the flesh was also very sore and scratching turned out to be painful. "Ah told ya  _not_ ta do this ta me!" he snapped, anger renewed by the pain.

Jack could see he was getting riled up, and so he stood up and lifted his knee onto the bed. He put his hands on Bunny's shoulders - he  _knew_ he was risking being _strangled_ \- and gently pushed him back toward the mattress, advising him to, " _Calm down_ , you're gonna hurt yourself."

 _Bewildered_ by Jack's actions in climbing on the bed and even a bit _nervous_  for not knowing the teen's intent, Bunny's heart sped up. To _fight_ was his default reaction when he felt threatened, but he found himself still too  _weak_  to resist and ended up forced back into a laying position. "Git _off!_  Ah'm  _fine!_ " he said indignantly, then, when Jack eased off, gestured to his sorry state. " 'Cept fer  _this!"_

Jack paused then to re-examine Bunnymund. It  _was_  a terrible shave job, but he felt compelled to try to soothe the wound. "It'll grow back, Gumby." See? Look at him! Learning that slang one word at a time - and quite proud of himself for picking up on the most important words first. You know - the insults. He clicked his tongue in a way that he  _knew_  would be annoying. The way a mother would click at her  _naughty child._

Bunnymund was too pissed by the situation and the tongue click to congratulate Jack on his use of strine or even notice, beyond answering, "Ah  _know_  it'll grow back! That _aint_  the  _point!_ " he ranted.

Growing slightly uncomfortable with one leg on the floor, Jack tugged the second one onto the bed as well, resulting in the acrobatic feat of Jack Frost balancing on his knees on the very edge of Bunnymund's bed. How he managed to balance so effortlessly like that was truly mindboggling. Of course, Jack Frost had  _never_ played by Gravity's rules before, so to start now would have been  _truly_ out of character.

"It's not the  _worst_  thing to ever happen to you," Jack reminded him from his precarious perch.

"How the _hell_ would _you_  know if this's the _worst_ 'er not?! S' _not_  like Ah've told ya ma _whole life's story!_ " It occurred to Bunny almost immediately how  _foolish_  that statement had been. Simple logic would be enough to figure that out. Jack  _knew_  he was the last of his kind, after all. "Alright. Ye're right," he conceded. "It  _aint_  the worst, but it's still  _pretty bloody high_  on the list!"

"It wasn't even _me_. _North_  did it. You know - so you wouldn't  _DIE._ " He shuddered when the memory of how each patch of shaved fur revealed more and more bloody skin crossed his mind.

Jack was _right_. He'd done it to  _save_  him. The teen couldn't know the  _extreme_  anxiety Bunny's current state caused him. Though he  _tried_  to hide it, his heart was _pounding_  and his breathing felt _restricted_. Swallowing down his fears with great effort, he began to repeat his earlier apology, "Look, Mate… Ah tried ta say this before.. but.." then something clicked into place about what Jack had said… "Wait.. Yer sayin' it  _wasn'_ …" he began, and then _…_

 ** _"_ _NORTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_** The windows rattled with the force of Bunny's projected yell, the word coming out half bellow, half undignified screech.

 

* * *

 

And now, as a bonus for my faithful readers, here is an ever so lovely illustration I drew of Bunny in his current state.... Poor Bunny.

 

 

For a larger version of this image, in all it's glorious gory detail, click  
[here.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/c930f1bb8beab9814b5c87171842e3ee/tumblr_mno81a3J2E1s3tp1io1_1280.jpg)


	9. In Which Jack Learns a Bit About Pooka Anatomy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do Santa Clause, clippers and a bath have in common? One very upset Easter Bunny who wants nothing to do with any of them. What will Bunny do now that he knows North is responsible for the condition of his fur and can Santa atone while threatening further afront?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Warning in this chapter for swearing and somewhat adult situations. No sex, but let's say things aren't entirely chaste either.

Jack was becoming more and more pleased with the situation by the second. Over the course of the past year since becoming a Guardian, he had become quite fond of Bunny and North's cat-fights. The two Guardians bantered with the ease, familiarity and  _vehemence_  of siblings and somehow always came out of it just as close as ever.

Bunny would gripe in his dialect, North in his, and the two of them would bicker until they were blue in the face. They spoke of things he wasn't privy to, mentioned people he'd never heard of and events he hadn't been present for. Jack didn't know what these things meant to the verbal combatants… but it didn't matter. What  _mattered_  was the hilarity with which they argued, and Jack had never seen Bunny quite so _livid_  with North. He knew he was about to witness something _magnificent._  As such, it was with a certain giddy anticipation that he awaited the Cossack's arrival.

The youngest Guardian was not disappointed when North appeared, an entourage of yetis and elves at his heels, all of them vying for his attention. He waved them off, saying, "Yes. Yes. I will take care of it," not seeing the fuming rabbit who now sat on the bed, boring  _holes_  into the back of his skull with his eyes. When the rabble had left, he finally focused on Bunny. "Ah! You are awake!  _Good!_ " he beamed as though  _nothing_  were out of the ordinary.

"Don't  _'good'_  me!" Bunny snarled and if looks could kill, North would have been pushing up daisies.  **"** _ **WHAT THE FUCK DID'JA DO TA ME?!"**_  the enraged Pooka roared, a sharp pain  _ripping_  through his throat with the effort. He was straining it... his throat, that is.. He _knew_  he was. That tube had done some damage in spite of the care North had taken. Bunnymund didn't know about the tube, and so didn't know _why_  his throat was scratchy or why it fucking  _hurt_  to yell, but he didn't  _care_. He also sounded a bit like a bear crossed with a frog - but he didn't care about  _that_  right then either.  _"AH OUGTTA RIP YER **BEARD**  OUT FER THIS!"_ He  _shook_  and  _seethed_ like a  _rabid beast_  and could barely stand the mountain of a man before him. With a quick cast of his eyes downward, he brushed rapidly at his belly with both paws, then glared back up at North's face. _"LOOKIT THIS, YA BLOODY DRONGO **ASSHOLE!"**_

North was too happy to see that Bunny was alive and well and  _capable_  of yelling at him to be bothered by his little rabbit-tantrum. Cracking a slight grin, he told him, " _I_ did not bleed on you."

Bunny was having  _none_ of it. He fixed the overgrown Russian with an icy glare. "Ya  _know_  Ah'm not talkin' about the  _blood_ , North!"

"Yes. Yes, I know," North sighed dramatically, "You are looking a bit like something killed on road."

"If ya  _know_  so GODDAMN well,  _WHY DID YA **SHAVE**  ME?!_" Bunny hollered, " _WHAT DID AH DO TA DESERVE **THIS?!** "_ Voice cracking from the abuse, he reigned himself in and tore his gaze away to stare at the wall, as though trying to look through it. His voice was weak, thin... raspy from his tirade when he said, "I... this.. _Why, North?!_ " Countenance haunted, yet still angry, he turned back to Nicholas, eyes still asking his question...  _Why?_

"I am  _sorry_ , my friend. It was necessary to release heat," North explained finally, putting all joking aside. Bunny needed to calm down and he was aware that he wasn't helping by needling him. Normally, picking on Bunny was fun, but not when he was just back from Death's door and his voice sounded like he been gargling broken glass. He couldn't allow Bunny's rant to continue any further and risk permanent damage or, worse, triggering a relapse.

Then Bunny remembered,  _Oh, right... heatstroke,_ and, out loud, mumbled, "Mah fur was holdin' the heat in..." He was visibly deflated, having realized what North was getting at. It made him feel decidedly chagrined for his behavior. They'd done it out of concern for, hell - to  _save,_   _his life_ and he'd repaid them by railing at them over it. It wasn't like they knew why he was  _this_  upset.

Approaching Bunny and gripping his shoulder sympathetic, North confirmed, "Da. That is correct," with a repentant smile. He sat on the edge of the bed, nearly toppling Jack, who hopped lightly to the other side of Bunny.

Now between rabbit and wall, Jack flopped onto his rear, legs crossed, and continued to watch the two old friends quarrel as if this were a spectator sport. A few times he had to clamp a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Such as when North had called Bunny  _roadkill_ , of all things! He could have easily made about ten jokes out of that one alone, but decided against it. He, too, had noticed the obvious pain Bunny was causing himself, so, rather than renew his ire with his own barbs, the amused sprite was content to stay quiet, observe, and stockpile their comments for later review when he needed a good laugh.

Jack had to stifle another chuckle as the Pooka groaned, "Ya buggered it _royally,_  mate," and pulled up on an area of nearly naked skin on his belly which, owing to it's mostly shaved state, showed off his normally hidden body wrinkles. He looked as if he were wearing a body suit three sizes too large.

Cuffing Bunny on the nose, North stood up. "Give me  _break!_  I was in a hurry."

Bunny's nose twitching in response, he frowned and crossed his arms. "Ah look like a  _cocked up,_   _scungy, old wrinkly_  in the nick," he complained, actually resembling more a _sulking child_  than anything else.

North filled a glass from a pitcher of water the yetis had left and passed it to Bunny who, having not realized how _insanely thirsty_  he was until he caught sight of the offered drink, accepted the glass without a second thought and began to  _gulp_  it as though it were his aqueous salvation.

"You are not  _'in the nick'_. I did not shave  _that_ part," North grinned wryly at him as he began rifling through the med table's drawer.

His statement caused Bunny, flabbergasted, to _spray_  his drink all over himself, forcing Jack into another acrobatic leap away from the onslaught. Coming to rest this time on the floor at the foot of the bed, Jack let out a string of barking laughs, no longer able to hold it in.

" _Bloody lucky ya didn'_ ," the Easter Bunny squeaked, ignoring Jack, embarrassment clear even without seeing the deep rosy color his face had adopted. "Ah'd be hangin' yer  _skin_ out to  _dry_  if ya had!'

"Bah! Do not worry. We will fix," Nicholas said with a dismissive wave, his words a guarantee that gave Bunny _none_  of the confidence they were intended to, as he pulled out the shears and placed them on the med table next to the pitcher.

Bunny eyed the shears with more than a little misgiving, " _Fix?_  Whadda ya _mean_  'fix'?"

"We clean you up first, then you see," North said cryptically, then called out into the workshop, "Phil! Bath!" Phil and Demitri quickly appeared to refill the empty tub - with warm water this time - and disappeared again just as fast.

A rather  _unsettling_  and _most mischievous_  North expression later and Bunny was  _damn certain_  he wanted  _no part_  of this. Trying his best to not look as apprehensive as he felt, he swallowed and glanced again at the clippers, then gave up all pretenses and feebly pressed himself against the wall as though trying to  _sink into_  the crack between it and the bed.

It was an action that did not slip past North and he grinned at Jack, rather  _enjoying_  this required mischief at Bunny's expense. "I am thinking I will be needing  _help_ , Jack."

An involuntary shudder ran through Bunny and he shot a glance from North, to Jack, to the tub, the clippers and then back to North again. Unease enveloping him, he insisted, "Ah can wash mahself, mate."

Placing his hands on the bed to either side of Bunny's shoulders and leaning in close to his face, Santa reminded the agitated rabbit, "No, you  _cannot_. You are still _too weak._ Now stop complaining." He smirked again at Jack and suggested, "I take feet, you get shoulders," then, eyes returning to Bunny, he was only halfway addressing the frost sprite when he said, "That way maybe you won't get  _hurt_ …" If he had given it some thought, Jack might have realized that North shouldn't need help. He could have  _easily_ handled Bunny's weight by himself, just dropped him into the tub the way he could drop him into the sleigh, but the recovering rabbit needed a gentle hand at the moment and he wanted to make  _sure_  he went quietly. No, Jack wasn't concerned with  _that_  just then. He was too busy delighting in the game of tormenting the flustered Easter Bunny...

Who had _thought_  about putting up a fight. Considered struggling or even attempting to kick the ever-loving  _shit_  out of North who was now in easy reach of his powerful, albeit _severely weakened,_ legs. Even in this state, they should have one or two good strikes left in them. He thought better of it, however, at North's thinly veiled warning that he might  _hurt_  Jack. So _that_ was why North had asked Jack to help. The perceptive bastard was using Jack as emotional shackles. It was a fact that sharpened the edge of resentment Aster held toward the Guardian of Wonder at that particular moment.  _Touche, North._

Jack hardly thought he could  _pretend_  to handle Bunny's weight - even just half of him. Even so, he was quick in responding, rounding to the head of the bed and pushing himself up onto it so that he could slip his arms behind Bunny and looping them under his friend's limbs in such a way that his upper back and neck were resting against his bare chest. The choppy fur tickled here and there, but he didn't mind. Bunny felt really warm against his skin, and it was kind of nice - almost as though he were hugging him. He grinned into  _incredibly soft_  shortened rabbit fur and teased, "Don't worry. I'll _try_  not to drop you."

As North reached across the bed and claimed one of Bunny's ankles, dragging the Pooka's legs off of the edge of the bed so that he could get a good grip on him, Jack was _struck dumb_  by the fear in his eyes. That certainly took some of the fun out of this. That wasn't fear of embarrassment. That was _genuine panic._  Why was Bunny so  _afraid_  of this bath? "It's  _just_  a bath," he reminded him. It  _was_ , after all, and he needed it. Having his fur matted up the way it was couldn't be comfortable. A bath would take care of that, so what was the big deal?

Jack was unaware that it wasn't actually the _bath_  that Bunnymund feared, but what North intended to do with those  _clippers_  afterward. Bunny attempted to distract himself from current events by focusing on Jack. He hadn't missed the hug-like quality of the way Jack held him and he felt somehow _safer_  and more  _secure_  in his arms, if only for the moment. The sensation of being held against his chest was strange, to say the least. Not because it was Jack, but because skin to skin contact in that area of his body was _entirely_  new to him. Normally there was fur in the way, but a region about the size of a hand which was shaved nearly  _hairless_  allowed their skin to touch. He found it wasn't _entirely_  unpleasant. Not unpleasant  _at all_ , in fact. Jack's skin was  _surprisingly_  soft and he could feel the lad's heartbeat in his back, the steady rhythm in direct contrast to his own racing pulse helping to calm him a small amount. Even the ever-present slight chill of Jack's body was a comfort. It was a good thing, too - he needed the comfort, for at that moment...

"Alright! Ready, Jack?" North asked, prepared to lift Bunny at last. A firm nod met his inquiry and the Russian wasted no time in elevating the rabbit's hind end to waist height as he announced, " _Here we go!_ " and began to move him to the tub.

Jack followed suit, slipping off the bed with Bunny and keeping him held tight against his chest. He was pleasantly surprised to find that Bunny seemed somehow _lighter_  when awake and surmised that, as long as he didn't struggle too much, he could manage carrying half of him to the tub without too much trouble.

Bunny, too, was amazed that Jack, as diminutive as he was, could lift him, let alone  _carry him_  the ten feet to the bath. Then he thought about those _finely toned muscles_ , and decided it wasn't that surprising after all... And there it was again. That strange warming, _tingling_  sensation that had begun to spread through his abdomen  _every time_  he thought about Jack's body.

So much had changed since he wandered into the warren that morning. Jack had gone from  _annoying, idiot friend_ , to important friend he secretly liked, to… Bunny wasn't even sure  _what_  to call him anymore. Certainly still a _friend,_  but there was so much  _more_  to it now. And yet, really, Jack had _been_  this important to him for _years._  He'd just been ignoring these feelings since '68. They had been _close_  before that Easter, had spent  _years_  playfully bickering and challenging one another and generally paling around. Jack had been as close to him as North and _closer_. He had _thought_  Jack was developing feelings for him, and he had been for Jack.

Then the blizzard happened and it  _spoiled_  all of that. It had all started over an _egg_. He'd been painting his googies in preparation for Easter. He was behind that year and was under a lot of stress. Then Jack had caused him to foul up one of his eggs in a bid for attention and he'd over-reacted. He'd _ordered_  Jack to leave and  _that_  was when it had started to snow... Now those feelings the snow had buried were _resurfacing_  and he didn't know what to do with them anymore.

The strange sensation in his abdomen was new, though.

Then he spotted the clippers on the table as they passed it and that sensation was replaced by a lump of  _solid ice_. Of course, North couldn't _possibly_  know what those clippers meant to Bunny. How could he? Bunny had never _told_  him that shaving a Pooka was tantamount to a  _death sentence_. That it was only done in the most  _extreme_  of circumstances or that the one who was shaved suffered permanent shame and was _shunned_  by the Pookan Brotherhood, forever to live in  _exile._  North and Jack  _couldn't_  have known because, after all, he was the  _last_  of the Pooka. Such customs had long been lost to the sands of time, but Bunny _remembered._  He remembered how his father taught him that one's  _fur_  was one's _honor,_  that to _lose_  it was to lose _yourself_. It didn't matter that the fur was shed twice a year. It was the  _act,_  in truth, not the fur itself that was important.

Now he found himself held aloft by his  _trusted friends_  who had _no idea_  the stigma in what they were about to do… but it had already  _been_  done, hadn't it? He'd  _already_  been shaved… been  _shamed._   _What'm Ah_ _ **thinkin?**_  Bunny mentally shook himself, _North and Jack aren't goin' ta_ _ **exile**_ _me._ Nonetheless, these things had been _deeply ingrained_  since the day he could hear and  _drilled into him_  every day over a great many years, until fear of it had become  _gut-instinct._  That was a hard thing to push out of his mind.

When they arrived at the tub, Bunny again had to resist the urge to kick North and run. He tried to tell himself that this was only a bath. They weren't _shaving_  him yet… he could  _handle_  a bath. Just the same, a small whimper escaped his lips as he was slowly lowered into the warm water.

"Now… stay," North commanded, rewarded with a  _scathing_  glare from the Pooka for his trouble.

There was something about the  _way_  Bunnymund had whimpered when he was lowered into the bathtub that bit into Jack's spirit. He could see the tenseness in Bunny's quivering muscles and a pang of sympathy prompted him to ask, "You ok there, Kangaroo?" The sprite actually  _did_ want reassurance that he was alright, but the question was more in effort to anger him. Maybe, if he could get Bunny's dander up again, he would forget to be afraid.

But Bunny ignored the hated misnomer - or perhaps he hadn't _heard_  it - attention riveted elsewhere. As North had gone to rummage around in a cupboard, a  _sickening_  color change had begun in the bath water and the color's source paled a bit, staring fixedly as the blood re-hydrated and spread. Bunnymund hadn't realized just _how much_  blood had been in his fur, how much he'd _lost_. It made him wonder and he glanced at his inner elbow for confirmation. Sure enough, there was a rectangular patch that had been shaved to the skin and a bruise with a small hole in its middle centered directly over the largest vein. He looked from his arm back up to North, who had returned with a bottle, and asked, "How much did ya have ta use?"

North grunted, not really wanting to think about it, but answered, "Two units," anyway, then opened the bottle and squeezed some of its contents, which turned out to be red and white striped soap that smelled of candy canes, into the palm of his hand.

It would be  _Santa Clause_  who had peppermint scented soap. Jack tried to focus on that and  _not_  the color of the water, but he  _couldn't_. He was just standing near the tub awkwardly, staring at the water and  _trying_  not to throw up, nearly losing his _tenuous_  control when North went to work gently massaging the soap into Bunny's poor abused fur, which formed a thick red lather, coating his leg. 

"Ah was in a really bad way, wasn' Ah?" Bunnymund asked, closing his eyes against the sight.

" _Da,_  my friend. We almost _lost_  you this time," North replied without looking up. He was quick and methodical, finishing the first leg and starting on the next before Bunny spoke up again.

Bunny's brow furrowed and he eyed the hands working the scarlet colored soap, thoughts turning to the reason for his survival. "Ah know. If not fer the two'a ya, Ah would be _dead._ " Again he felt like a major heel for all his complaining and fighting them. "Ah'm  _sorry_  Ah've been such a stroppy patient, mate," he apologized, meeting Santa's eyes, who had looked up upon hearing  _regret_  in the gruff voice. It was not often that E. Aster Bunnymund showed  _humility._

Before North could comment, there was a ruckus out in the hallway. Swishing his hands in the water to rinse them, he wiped them on one of several towels the yetis left for drying Bunnymund and went to the door. One of the yetis chose that exact moment to burst into the room, slamming the door into North's nose. Clutching his aching olfactory, he complained, "I keep telling you to  _knock!_ Why do you  _never_  knock?!"

"Shadufawaka! Tekaba fooda seg  _naba!_ " the yeti quickly explained in his native tongue, to which North groaned, "Elves are always setting _something_  on fire!" Returning to the tub and picking up the bottle of soap, he tossed it at Jack. "Here. _You_  finish. I will be back in little bit." Then he followed the yeti out the door.

Jack fumbled to catch the bottle of soap lobbed at him, nearly dropping it in the tub. "Oh! I...!"  he began, but his protest was too late. He bit the inside of his cheek and looked down at the water, hesitant to put his hands in the  _'blood'_  again, after that dream. He didn't want to relive it, but he had to be rational. This was a necessary step to ridding Bunny of that awful red hue, so he gathered his courage and knelt down beside the tub.

He opened the bottle and claimed a little soap, then leaned over the rabbit, a sheepish grin on his face and spread it across his chest. "This is  _okay,_  right? I mean, after I almost  _killed_  you earlier..." He didn't  _really_  want an answer for that. This situtation was just so awkward that he felt the need to break the silence.

Although Bunny also felt awkward at first, he tried not to let it show. Now that it was _Jack_  who was washing him, he was visibly calmer. He couldn't put his finger on it, but _something_  about this just seemed  _better_. Quietly, Bunny mulled over Jack's self-deprecating remarks for a few moments, then shook his head. "No, Jack," he corrected, "Ya didn' do  _anythin'_  ta me.  _Ah_  was the one who suggested we go topside knowin' how hot it was. Ya  _saved_  me t'day, Snowflake."

Jack hadn't missed when Bunnymund called him _Snowflake_  again, and it still surprised him in spite of it being the _third_  time he had been named as such. The surprise was followed by a look, which could have been described as  _adoration_ , overtaking his features while he continued rubbing the soap into the fur of Bunny's chest. He kept his face discreetly hidden behind the white curtain of his bangs throughout massaging his fingertips into Bunny's skin, suddenly very  _keen_  on the idea of cleaning him.

Relaxing into the cool of Jack's touch which, combined with the warm water, served to help soothe his aching muscles, bit by bit, Aster began to unwind. Where Jack had learned to bathe others, he had _no idea_ , but the guy was rubbing soap into his aching flesh like a  _master masseuse_. He sighed deeply, enjoying the soothing palpations and gazing at Jack, observing the way his muscles bunched and stretched as he worked. Taking in every  _flex_ , every  _motion_  as though recording it in his mind's eye for later viewing. It was a subconscious thing and he wasn't aware of the effect it was having on his own body. He would be soon, however.

As Jack began carding his fingers through the older being's fur to get at the blood encrusted skin beneath, his digits brushed over two little nubs of flesh, causing Bunny to twitch and gasp at the contact. It was then that the teen realized how _intimate_  this moment truly was. Here he was, touching the overgrown rabbit in ways he never thought he would  _allow_  and eliciting reactions that seemed _out of place_  for a simple bath. For starters, those  _nubs_  had been his  _nipples_  and those  _nipples_  had been  _hard_. Jack supposed it  _could_  have been from the chill of his hands, but the water was warm and they had already  _been_ in that state  _before_  he touched them, not just afterward. Was Bunnymund actually getting  _aroused_  by this?

That same question, along with  _a million_  others, ran through Bunny's head in the aftermath of that accidental touch, but he couldn't bring voice to a one of them. He  _wanted_ to tell Jack to watch what he was touching, but his mouth wouldn't form those words either. Goosebumps ran along his body and his abdomen tingled again as he allowed his eyes to drift up from the young man's arms to his face, where they became  _locked_  upon the soft curve of his mouth, the only part he could really see at the moment. He didn't notice how his heart had begun to  _pound_ , nor how  _entranced_  he'd become... until Jack looked up.

Aquamarine met emerald and Jack knew he'd made a _mistake_. Simultaneously, he and Bunny flushed brightly and tore their eyes away with a suddenness that proved it to have been more that a simple meeting of eyes. Jack looking back down at his work and Bunny finding interest in studying the ceiling, they both attempted to hide the new shade their faces had adopted from one another.

Maybe he hadn't noticed because Bunnymund was _always_  'naked' to an extent… but it was dawning on Jack now that he was giving a  _very naked_  Pooka a bath. A Pooka who, despite his weakness and wet skin, had a very _strong_  chest. Strong  _everything_ , really. Jack found himself  _enjoying_  the excuse to run his fingers over him. He thought about how he'd like to find _more_  excuses to touch him. Perhaps when he wasn't quite so  _wet_  or quite so _weak._  His thoughts continued following this potentially  _dangerous_  path, until he remembered that this was  _also_  a Pooka who could read his mind. Although he doubted that Bunny would waste energy on Jack's thoughts in his depleted state, he pushed those thoughts away, blushing ever harder.

Jack busied himself with splashing water onto Bunny's chest, rinsing away the bloody suds. To his great pleasure, the soap had worked wonders - appropriate considering who had supplied it - having eliminated all of the stain where he'd used it. A bit more of it and he was beginning to lather the area over his rib-cage, and to his relief it appeared to be working there too, even where the coating was  _darker_ , where Bunny had first noticed the blood. Where Jack had tried to stop it from  _escaping_. It made him sigh in relief, which he realized was the first noise he'd made in a while.

While he pushed his fingers beneath the fur, Jack chanced to look back up at Bunny, figuring that washing his abs was less awkward than his chest. It seemed that way to Jack, at least. That is, until his fingers brushed over _another set_  of hardened nipples and Bunny twitched again, closing his eyes and biting his lip to keep himself quiet. The sprite paused in confusion.  _Four_  nipples? Bunny had _four nipples?_  Jack had assumed that he would have two, like humans did. He was realizing now that that had been a _foolish_ assumption. Bunny was  _no_  human. He was an alien who was shaped like a rabbit and rabbits have... _how many?_

While Jack was trying to remember the number of nipples on a normal rabbit, Bunnymund was attempting to hide his face by sinking lower in the water. Not that it helped any. Jack was leaning over the tub, which meant it couldn't shield his embarrassment anyway. He couldn't believe his body was betraying him this way. He supposed this was what he got for  _eyeballing_  Jack the way he had been. _Damn karma_  anyway. Another whimper escaped him and he closed his eyes to avoid seeing anymore of that  _enticing_  skin.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" Jack asked, as he moved lower, hearing the plaintive sound rising from the tub. He wondered if perhaps that was the reason for the twitching, rather than the  _other_  possibility. "Being too rough, I mean? I just…" .. _really love touching you._  He stumbled over his own thoughts, and then cleared his throat. Well, he couldn't very well say  _that._  "…want to make sure you're really clean. All this blood must be uncomfortable, right?" he asked instead, just as he found a _third_  set of nipples. Speaking of  _uncomfortable,_  this was getting _really_ weird. Just  _how many_ nipples did Pooka _have_ , anyway? He considered asking Bunny, but figured that would only further embarrass the  _both_  of them, so he kept it to himself. It was less awkward to just continue washing him and pretend he hadn't noticed.

Bunny silently thanked MiM that Jack had  _finally_  run out of nipples to discover, but his relief was short-lived. Jack's hands were still moving _lower_ , inching  _dangerously_  close to that strip of unshaven fur North had intentionally left to him. He'd left it there with  _good reason_. Bunny wasn't built like a human. He kept the parts that made him  _male_ beneath that fur, concealed within a little slit just below his belly button. It wouldn't be  _that_   _big_ of a problem normally but, due to Jack's ministrations, those parts weren't _completely_  hidden as of this moment.

Jack was at his navel now. Just below that was...


	10. In Which a Kick Calls a Calvary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Jack's explorations triggering emotions long-buried and games of seduction testing them, will Jack and Bunny be able to resist the opportunity their privacy presents or will things even get that far before their rescue arrives?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning in this chapter for more somewhat adult situations and mention of sex organs. Still no sex yet. Sorry if I got your hopes up. (Hang in there, though.)

Jack's hand  _passed over_  Bunny's naval and his breath hitched. Another half inch and he'd  _know.._.

The color in his cheeks suddenly bloomed over the rest of his body and, in a move fueled by pure adrenaline, Bunny's paw  _snapped out_ like a striking cobra, snatching Jack's hand away at the  _last_  possible moment. " _Ah kin wash that part mahself, mate!"_ he yelped.

Jack was  _so_ startled when Bunny grabbed his wrist that he gasped out loud, and he looked down at the area in question. It didn't occur to him that it was a personal spot, but based on the reaction, it was  _pretty clear_  that it was. It dawned on him then that Bunny's genitalia was never visible even though he wore no clothes... That Bunny had said he was  _'in the nick'_ and North had told him he hadn't shaved  _'that part'._  Did ' _in the nick_ ' mean ' _nude'?_  Furthermore,  _this_ was the part he hadn't shaved... Could  _that_  be where... The idea that he'd almost been  _groping_ Bunnymund made Jack's face color as well, and he abruptly pulled his wrist away, redirecting his attention to washing Bunny's arms instead.

Swallowing hard and taking deep, measured breaths to calm himself, Bunny looked for a way to sidetrack Jack before he could comment on his actions. To that effect, he haltingly asked, in a voice  _much_ higher-pitched than he'd intended, "How... um.. How much'a what Ah said... earlier did ya actually hear?" He paused, his own voice stunning him.  _Wow... Way ta dig yer own grave, Aster,_  he thought of the tone of his words. Clearing his throat to banish the annoying squeak his voice had developed, he then said, "Ah thought ya were... uhhh.. sleepin, but Ah get the feelin' ya weren't as conked as Ah figured."

As Bunny had hoped, Jack was temporarily distracted by the question addressed to him. "I heard..," he frowned thoughtfully, keeping his eyes downcast, it being easier for him to talk that way. Jack felt safer to just focus on washing the fur beneath his hands, finding relief in the return of his proper coloration. "I don't know," he admitted at last, "I heard you apologize for... something... but I was half asleep. I might've imagined it."

"Nah. Ya didn't imagine it, Jack," Aster began, "Ah _actually_  apologized.  _Shockin'_ , Ah know." He smoothed down his ears sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck, absently noting that the movement didn't tire him. Perhaps he was getting just a  _bit_  stronger? Bringing his paw back into his sight, he flexed it, watching its motion as he made a fist to test its strength. He certainly  _felt_  stronger.

Stumbling over the words, "Er…I woke up when you... uh... touched me," Jack found his own revelation somehow awkward. But  _why?_  He had been touching Bunny nearly  _constantly_  for the past day… Even now, here he was, rubbing his hands  _all over him_. He'd touched some rather personal places and  _nearly_  touched one  _very_  personal place. So why should Bunny not be allowed to touch him in return? Why did the thought of that touch make his face  _burn?_ Well, burn by  _his_ standards anyway. Forcing himself to refocus on the conversation at hand, Jack recounted, "So I heard the  _last_  part for sure. You said you wanted to 'make it up to me', right?", thumb brushing over the odd markings in the fur of Bunny's arm. He wondered if they were naturally like that… or if it was some sort of tattoo, but put it aside to say, "You don't  _have_  to, though."

Having chanced to look at Bunny's face, Jack instantly regretted it, ending up gawking fixedly. The concentration with which the Pooka studied his own paw demanded attention. Something about it kept him staring at every _twitch_ of his eyes or mouth. Every  _flick_  of a whisker trapping him there. Even if it was unintentional, Bunny always had a way of commanding attention, didn't he?

Speaking of attention, Aster had the  _distinct_  impression he was being watched and, consequent to raising his gaze from his paw, found himself entranced. This time, it was he who had caught  _Jack_  staring and, this time, he  _couldn't_  make himself look away. The other Guardian was looking  _right at him_  with a strange expression that was half-regret and half... was that  _lust?_ He certainly  _smelled_  aroused.

With a metal note to discuss it with Jack later, Bunny tried to push that fact out of his mind, in favor of addressing Jack's misplaced guilt. How could he  _honestly_ believe Bunny didn't have to make amends? For some reason, his insistence to that effect  _hurt_ , like someone squeezing his heart too tight and he frowned at the sprite. "Yeah, Ah  _do,_ mate," he told him. "Ah've got a temper on me an' it aint fair'a me ta take it out on ya all the time."

Jack rolled his lips in, biting them. He had to admit that Bunnymund  _did_ have a temper, but he had a _right_ to get mad. Didn't he? "I mean - you  _did_  scare me today. But that wasn't your fault, it was just hot. It's not like you went outside with the _intention_ of almost drowning yourself, and then scaring me half to death. It was an  _accident_ , and I forgive you."

Glad when Jack said he forgave him, not only because it was good to know he was forgiven, but because Jack was  _admitting_  by it that there was something that  _needed_  to be forgiven, Bunny sighed. It made him feel better to know Jack wasn't  _entirely_  blaming himself. "Ta, Frostbite," he thanked him, a sincere smile curling his cheeks.

Jack didn't know if he should go on or not, and so he remained silent. Trailing his fingers over Bunny's shoulder, he stood up and moved behind him to get to his neck and back. He felt a little safer here. He didn't have those judging eyes on him. It made the tense feeling in his shoulders lesson, just a little.

 _We should NEVER have trusted you!_  Jack winced internally at the memory. He could think of a couple times when Bunny had truly  _scared_  him. He had always  _deserved_  it, though. Accident or not Jack had made mistakes. Even the first time he ruined… Jack didn't like the direction his brain was heading in. Thinking about the Easters  _he'd_  ruined. He didn't want to think about how  _scared_  he was that he'd lost Bunny's friendship all over again last year. He just thanked his lucky stars that Jamie was such a fan of the Easter Bunny, and that his light hadn't gone out.

"…But you don't owe me anything, Bunny. And the yelling? It's  _okay_. You don't yell at me unless I do something to  _deserve_  it."

Of course, Jack just  _had_  to go and say he deserved the yelling. Bunnymund huffed in frustration that the teen had moved behind him. He preferred to be face to face when talking about personal things like this. Since he didn't have Jack's handsome visage to look at anymore, he scowled at the water instead. It had taken on a grayish pink coloration from the soap scum mixing with the blood and dirt from himself.  _Ah need ta scrub-up more often,_ he thought to the grunge floating around him. Then, to his mistaken companion, he said, "But that's just the thing. Most times ya  _don't_  deserve it. Only thing Ah yelled at ya for that ya might've  _deserved_  was when ya…." and then Jack derailed his train of thought.

"Like touching your rabbit-junk?" Jack smirked, trying to direct the conversation away from the real things he had been yelled at for. Jack's heart had stopped when he heard Bunny start that sentence. That he deserved it. It was one thing for  _him_  to say that he deserved it, Jack Frost could blame  _himself_  for anything. For  _Bunnymund_  to say that he deserved it was so much  _more_. It was finalizing. He  _deserved_  it. He wanted to tell Bunny it was an accident - the blizzard - it was  _such_  an accident… but he just didn't want to talk it out yet. They'd already been through  _so_   _much_ , and he wanted to enjoy this bit of comfort between them before they had to put back on their serious faces. "And for the record - I didn't  _mean_  to touch it."

The kid just _had_ to bring up the almost-groping from a minute ago,  _didn't he?_  "Ah don' know what yer talkin' ab…" Bunny tried to deny mutteringly, but he just couldn't finish that sentence. Jack wasn't  _stupid_. He knew that Bunnymund was fully aware of  _exactly_  what he was referring to. Instead, he decided to make certain there were no misunderstandings involved. He wrung his paws together as he stammered, "Ya… uh… ya  _d-didn't._  T-touch… uh.., Ah… Ah mean… Ah st-stopped ya before ya… " This was just too bloody embarrassing, but he was pretty damned certain Jack didn't  _want_  to have touched that part of his anatomy, in spite of the air of arousal which clung to him like a blanket, so he forced out, "…got ta  _'it'._.." Then proceeded to sink as low into the filthy water as he could without his  _head_  going under.

He sat there like that, smelling blood and dirt and peppermint - which was a  _disgusting_  scent combination, by the way - and contemplated revenge. It hadn't gotten past the Pooka that Jack had said that  _just_  to get his goat.  _Alright,_ Bunny decided,  _Two can play sillybuggers here_. He tilted his head  _all the way_  back so that he could meet Jack's eyes and said, voice as steady as he could manage under the circumstances, "Ah'm sorry about touchin ya, too… Ah just..  _couldn't_  resist…" A puckish grin took over his face and, just so he could see that pretty purplish blush again, he reached up to touch Jack's cheek with the back of his fingers and enlightened him, "Ye're pretty  _adorable_  when ye're sleepin'…"

Stunned eyes drifted down to Bunny, and Jack  _tried_  to come up with some sort of comeback. What do you say to 'You're pretty  _adorable_  when you're sleeping'? when spoken by someone who often seemed as though he  _tolerated_  you at best? It was baffling! He swallowed a lump that was attempting to form in his throat with the hopes of speaking, but he just  _couldn't_  think of a good comeback.

It did not help his case that his face had gone from  _purple_  to nearly  _scarlet_  in a matter of seconds. "I just.." Good heavens, was he about to say that he had a  _nightmare_? That he had come in here looking for  _company_  while he slept like some _frightened child?_  That was  _absolutely_  out of the question. "Er - I mean I just fell asleep and…" he began, but trailed off as a  _devious_  thought wormed its way into his brain. He would fight fire with fire. If Bunny wanted to stir up trouble, Jack could oblige. He couldn't form a comeback in words, and that was  _fine_. He didn't  _need_  one.

Jack's solution was to cock a brow at the Pooka - who suddenly felt like he was in  _trouble_. That look could never mean  _anything_  but trouble - and then to turn his head so that his lips were briefly pressed against the fingers caressing his cheek.  _At first,_ Bunny thought it was an accident - a simple slip as he'd turned his head to look at the trespassing limb - but then Jack took hold of his paw and he was proven  _thoroughly_  wrong.

Lifting that paw to his lips, the teen  _kissed_  the back of it seductively, like the knights of old might kiss the hand of a Queen. Then, slowly guiding it back to rest across its bewildered owner's abdomen, he let go of the paw.

Bunny held his breath from the moment the kiss began until after he was finally released, unable to move as though frozen. Like _time itself_ were holding its breath along with him. Jack had  _kissed_  his hand.  _Outright_   _kissed it!_ He tried to come up with some witty response, but his thoughts had been caught in a loop that just kept repeating,  ** _That_** _was a kiss... That was a_ _ **kiss**_ _... Not a '_ _ **kiss of life**_ _'. That was a_ _ **real kiss**_ _! Jack just_ _ **kissed**_ _my_ _ **paw**_ _... Jack_ _ **deliberately KISSED**_ _my paw!_ _ **MY paw!**_ Bunnymund stared at that paw as though it might sprout a mouth and start singing opera. He just couldn't wrap his mind around this.  _Why would Jack kiss my paw?_

Jack's goal  _was_  to fluster Bunny, but he didn't know what to say right away. Maybe that bit of affection was crossing a line? But where  _was_  that line? He cared  _so much_  about the Pooka, who had called him Snowflake and adorable and touched him in his sleep, then again just a moment ago… so,  _surely_ , a little peck on his paw wasn't unacceptable,  _right_? His feelings were so confused at the moment, but he had to break the uncomfortable silence before it became insurmountable. To that effect, he joked, "Of  _course_  I look good sleeping. I  _always_ look good," his cockiness returning in light of the zombie-like blank look that had settled over Bunny.

Aster agreed with him,  _the cocky little bastard_ , but he was too distracted to think about  _that_ at the moment. He couldn't wrap his mind around Jack's actions. He had  _expected_ the blushing, but he _hadn't_  expected Jack to kiss his paw. Bunny was still trying to work that out when Jack pulled his hand away and introduced a bit of soap to the top of his head. Even as he spread it down into the fur of his face and the rabbit had to scrunch his eyes shut to keep the soap out of them until it was rinsed away, he  _still_  hadn't figured out what game Jack was playing. After much deliberation, Bunny decided to just  _ask_  Jack what that kiss had been about, but then he began running his thumbs over his ears...

All thought in his confounded mind suddenly came to a screeching halt... Jack had his  _ears_.. he was soaping them up... _rubbing_ _ **that spot**_ at the base again... on  ** _BOTH_** _of them_. That feeling coiled in his lower abdomen came back with a vengeance, roiling around like a snake in a raptor's talons. What the Pooka had intended to be words, instead came out as a gasp and a strangled sort of a squawk-grunt. Nope. No hiding _that_ from Jack. It had been too loud and -  _Dammit, Jack_ \- had been punctuated by the resounding  ** _BONG_** of an oversized foot colliding with the inner wall of a metal tub, his leg having jerked reflexively hard and fast. It was followed by the splash of foul water on cold stone which was forcibly ejected from the basin by that same muscular leg. Bunny was  _mortified_  as the sound reverberated around the room and out into the rest of the workshop through the partially open door, where North was sure to have heard it.

The last time Jack played with the base of Bunny's ears, he had been very ill and Jack had been too busy trying to save him to address the response he'd elicited. This time, however, he meant to discover what had caused him to whine and that reaction was  _just_  what Jack needed. He had figured it out. That spot at the base of his ears didn't _tickle_. It didn't  _hurt._  It felt _good_.  _Very good!_  He wasn't entirely sure  _why_  he was so proud of knowing that.  _Thrilled,_  in fact, to have found at least  _one_  of the spots on the rabbit's body that would make him  _crazy._ He could use this as blackmail fodder at the very least. Bunny couldn't control himself while he was massaging him there, as was proved when he kicked the tub. That was the  _greatest_  noise he'd heard all day. He was thankful that the victim of such a strong kick was the metal basin and not  _him_.

Were Jack not still rubbing his ears, they would have been flattened against the back of Bunnymund's head in his chagrin, giving the appearance of a frightened kitten, but he _was_ still rubbing and Bunny, at that moment, bore more resemblance to a  _cat in season_  than to her eventual resulting brood. He attempted to squirm away from Jack's ministrations, emitting helpless little mewling sounds and whimpers as he did so. Part of him  _actually_  believed that his caregiver was only trying to expunge the grime from his fur and he  _had_  been bleeding from his ears, but another part wondered... did  _Jack_  know what he was doing to  _Bunny_? Was he  _enjoying_  his distress?

Despite efforts to stop himself, the rabbit kicked again, resulting in another echoing serenade the  _entire workshop_ would be privy to. It resonated so loudly that Jack was  _sure_  they heard it on the  _Moon_. He smirked and moved his fingers in  _soft_ ,  _slow_  circles. He was  _more than happy_ to force Bunny to kick the tub again, amused as he was by what his actions were doing to him. Yes… he  _was_ doing it on purpose.

"Nng... Jack. W.. waitaminute, mmm... mate. Just.. UNG... s-s-stop!" Bunny begged, having finally found his voice. He didn't honestly  _want_  him to, - stop, that is - but the reason he didn't  _want_  Jack to stop was also the  _exact_ reason he absolutely  _HAD_  to. Jack's touch was doing  _wonderful_ , and rather  _embarrassing_ , things to him and North was _probably_ on his way to find out what all the noise was about. Quite possibly with Tooth and Sandy in tow. If Jack didn't stop now, they were going to see a part of him he  _really_  wasn't comfortable with sharing.

"Jack..." he tried again, "Jackie... Ya gotta... st-stop that!"

Technically Jack  _could_ stop if he was so inclined. He had scrubbed away the blood anyway and he  _could_  move up to the less sensitive parts of his ears… but he chuckled as a more entertaining idea occurred to him. No, he wasn't ready to move on. Not without teasing Bunny a little more. Rocking forward on his toes, he bent over Bunny... let go of his ears, lowered his face so he could see him better, and asked, "Are you getting your ears in a bunch, Bunny? Or should I call you Thumper?"

A flood of relief washed over Bunny when Jack finally left off of his ears, but there was also _regret_ and quite a lot of  _disappointment._ It no longer surprised him quite so much when his body reacted like this. Jack made his heart  _pound_  and  _ache_  with longing just by being close by. His  _touch_  drove him  _nuts_  and, when their  _eyes_  met, the experience was  _stunning_. It made pretty clear the fact that E. Aster Bunnymund was  _attracted_  to Jack Frost. That what he was feeling was  _so much more_ than friendship. He wasn't ready to call it _'love'_ yet, but _lust_ was definitely in the cards. Now Jack was leaning over him and his heart began to pound  _harder_  again.  _What is this little fruit loop up to now?_ he wondered, images of Jack kissing his hand flashing through his thoughts as Jack's face  _inched_  closer to his.

For a second Jack wondered if the Pooka noticed how dangerously  _close_  their mouths were… and while he wasn't sure if Bunny was built for kissing, he was  _certain_  that Bunny was aware of what kissing meant between humans. He'd reacted to it. To Jack kissing his paw. Their mouths were barely an inch apart now and Aster considered closing that distance  _himself_ , but then he realized just how  _vulnerable_  Jack was right now… leaning  _so far_ forward…  _over_  the tub… it would be so _easy_ to just…

That mischievous grin came back to Bunny again just a  _breath_  before, lightning fast, he gripped Jack by the back of his hair with one hand, planted the other in his belly and flipped him ass-end over teakettle and into his  _own_  lap, chest deep in scuzzy water. Before Jack had a chance to react, Bunnymund wrapped his arms tight around him, pinning his upper extremities to his body.

"Bad move, mate," he quipped,  _hot_ breath passing close to Jack's ear in little puffs. Bad move... So he said, but  _now_  he realized that Jack hadn't been the only one to make a bad move. He had just planted Jack Frost quite  _solidly_  against the  _very place_  he had stopped him from touching before. The flustered Pooka  _prayed_  that his captive could  _not_  feel the small hard spot which was presently flush against his skin. One that hinted at the presence of a  _certain part_ of his body that had only been stopped from fully emerging by Jack giving up on his ears in the nick of time. Perhaps he could distract him again as he had before? " _Thumper_ , is it? An jus'  _who's_ fault d'ya think it is that Ah was  _thumpin'_ eh? Ya go an' get me _all fired up_ and then ya put yerself in a position like _that_ … Ah may be pretty weak, but adrenaline an' gravity are good friends'a mine." No...  _Why did Ah say that?_ That wasn't  _helping_. He was only making himself  _more aroused._ He should  _not_  be getting aroused right now.

Jack's first impulse was naturally to struggle but, as he realized he was fine, he stopped his squirming and made an attempt not to let his initial fear make the water cold - but that water… Jack  _knew_  what was in it.  _Blood_. Blood that had him flashing back to the dream he'd had and pressing back into Bunny's body in an effort to escape it. He almost froze the tub anyway in his panic, but what was  _this_? So flush against Bunny was he that he noticed something out of place. Something  _poking_  him. Either the Easter Bunny had a hot, pointed  _tumor_  or that little ear rub had done more than Jack had realized. Although he was too in shock to make fun of it at the moment, he was pretty sure that was the aforementioned _rabbit junk_ pressing into his lower back.

As Jack was coming to grips with that, the Easter Bunny blew softly across his ear and all the young man's words were lost to the warmth of it. It didn't help any that Bunny then rested his chin on his shoulder, his manner playful, to which Jack could only respond by staring  _deliberately_  straight ahead, eyes wide, while Bunny purred seductively, "Startin' ta regret it yet,  _Snowflake_?"

What was he  _saying_? Was Bunny… actually  _flirting_? Or, a step farther, those words were almost  _seductive_. It was new territory for Jack. He was both pleasantly surprised, and stunned into silence. Although, not for long. He couldn't very well let that gruff voice just  _say_ things like this. It was a challenge, he could feel it. A challenge to say more.  _Do_  more. Of course his hands and arms were bound by the Pooka… so he was left with only words as a weapon.

"I don't regret it at all," he asserted, finally having recovered enough to at least make this joke - enough, in the very  _least_ , to call Bunny out on this. He rested his head against Bunny's as he reported, "Feels like I did a  _good job_  of it, too."

Bunny was  _dumbfounded_. Yet again, his cheeks and nose took on a fiery red hue and he was  _intensely_  glad that Jack couldn't see his face at that moment, because Jack had done the  _exact opposite_  of what he'd expected, and he had managed to stun Bunny into speechlessness. He had no clever retort in reserve, no comeback to diffuse the  _intense_  embarrassment he felt. He was just  _mortified_ , plain and simple.

He hadn't expected that reaction, nor had he thought Jack would respond to the contact in kind and  _certainly_ he hadn't considered that Jack might both _comment_ on his almost-erection and admit to causing it  _intentionally_  with one short statement. Why on Earth would Jack  _deliberately_  try to give him a _stiffy?_  Was it just to see if he  _could?_ Or was Frostbite  _genuinely_  interested in having a roll in the hay with a giant anthropomorphic rabbit? The idea that Jack might be  _okay_ with such a thing had never occurred to him before.

That was a thing even Jack wasn't sure about yet. Yes, teasing the Pooka was  _fun_ , but he was forced to question himself. He was getting attached again. He could feel it already. Going back to how he had been... before the blizzard that he thought had  _doomed_  their chances for a relationship the first time. Back to being  _happy_  and  _comfortable_  around him. Back to being  _attracted_  to him. It had never gone away, of course. Only been covered over after he'd made his mistake. Here it was again though, blossoming like a crocus pushing through winter's last gasp of snow and Jack was  _scared_.

He should have probably  _also_  been scared to hear the tell tale jingles that were elves in the distance. North was going to be there soon, probably because those thumps sounded like a bomb went off and  _probably_  not alone. Bunny hadn't seemed to have picked up on it yet. Perhaps he was too  _frazzled_  to notice? Jack chuckled thinking about that. "Why should I regret this?" he asked, snickeringly.

About to suggest to Jack that he move, Bunny was  _silenced_  by the question. Why should he regret this?  _Why_? Because he had just made a bloody six-foot tall rabbit-man  _randy_  and wound up  _sitting against_  the result,  _that's_  why! Again, he wondered if Jack was  _really_  okay with it. And, If he  _was_ , what did that mean for them? Was he just interested in the physical aspects of things - how would that even  _work_? - or did he want a  _real_  relationship? It had been well over a  _millennia_  since Bunny had considered such a thing himself. If he thought about it, though, he could do  _worlds_  worse than Jack Frost as a Mate. Of course, Jack could also do worlds  _better_  than himself. All this passed through Aster's mind in about three seconds time.

Which was about when Jack told him, " _You're_  the one who has to explain to  _North_  why I'm in the tub with you…" as he rubbed his cheek against the side of Bunny's, the last bit of affection he would probably offer before the room was  _invaded_  by the other Guardians and a slew of Yetis.

Jack had only meant to _tease_  him. He  _would have_ gotten up. Gotten out of the tub and just said Bunny had splashed him out of spite. It would have been  _easier_  that way. There was only  _one problem_ with that. Bunnymund had turned to  _stone_ … At least, one might  _think_  he had, with how rigid he'd become. The idiot wouldn't let go and Jack was  _trapped_. "Bunny... Bunny let me get up!" he hissed, struggling against the iron grip.

The only parts of the Pooka that were moving were his ears, which now stood  _fully erect_  and had swiveled toward the door, and his nose, which twitched furiously, whiskers dancing, as he attempted to determine  _who_ , besides North, would be soon arriving. He definitely smelled North and, from the sound and smell of it, he had quite the assortment of North Pole residents with him. Not to mention Tooth and Sandy. How had Bunnymund missed  _that_? He had  _amazing_  hearing and a  _fantastic_  sense of smell and yet,  _somehow_ , Jack had managed to pick up on advancing horde before him.

Aster had a wild impulse to call out to North that everything was ok and he didn't need the posse, but resisted it. Unfortunately,  _that_  would only make things worse when North, in  _true_  North fashion, barged in  _anyway_  to see what was up. With the two of them in the tub  _bloody-well snuggling_ , it already looked _pretty bad_  as it was. If he added on an attempt to keep intruders out,  _well_ , North would be  _assured_  that they had been doing something ' _naughty'_  and none would dissuade him from that opinion. They'd both wind up on the naughty list faster than they could blink.

The sound of tromping footsteps was becoming  _louder_  by the moment, a  _thunderous roar_ like an approaching storm. Bunny could feel it vibrating up through the floor, feel it  _all around him_  in the water. Little ripples that neither Jack or himself had caused were dancing across the water's surface the closer the sound came.

Panic began to grip the rabbit and he was  _about_  to push Jack out of the tub, but the attempt was too late. No sooner had Bunny begun to withdraw his arms from around Jack than the door  _slammed_  open with a  _splintering crash_  as it hit the wall. The suddenness of the sound caused Bunny to start and to re-tighten his grip on Jack, his instinct to protect overriding his desire to keep his reputation untarnished. Jack's face went from  _pale_  to  _purple_  in seconds as North stood there in the doorway with his eyes scanning over them.

From the look on his face, it was clear that North had been going to ask what was wrong, but he had already  _seen_  them and been struck  _dumb_  by the sight. There was a chorus of protests from behind him as the rest of the group caught up and attempted see what was going on within the infirmary. Alas, North made quite an effective blockade and was taking up the  _entire_  doorway with his impressive width. A gaggle of elves who had scurried in around his feet started laughing  _hysterically_  and rolling on the ground at the sight that greeted them. This was followed quickly by Tooth and Sandy, who were the only others there small enough to squeeze through the small gap by his legs, forcing their way in. The silence stretched on for a good ten seconds, and then North beamed like an  _idiot_  at them and laughed, "I am thinking… maybe I should have  _knocked?!"_


	11. In Which the Circus Comes to Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ever heard of a 'shovel talk'? Caught red... well, everything-ed, Jack and Bunny have a lot of explaining to do and North's not letting them off easy. And that's just the beginning! Old memories come back to haunt and new fears come to light as Bunny tries to deal with the horrors of being shaved and Jack is recruited to restrain him... Help him? Whatever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read!
> 
> \- Before anyone points out that what Bunny eats in this chapter is something rabbits can't eat, I would like to make a few points of my own;
> 
> 1)Bunny is not a rabbit. He's a Pooka (a type of fae who is capable of changing shape. In the Guardians of Childhood universe, Pooka are also aliens.) who happens to be in rabbit form. He does some rabbit-y things, but that does not make him bound to all the rules of rabbit-dom.
> 
> 2) While he has a rabbit's over-sized incisor teeth, the rest of his teeth are very much NOT like a rabbit's. They are the teeth of an omnivore. Hence I refuse to believe that Bunny can eat only fruits and veggies.
> 
> 3) While they don't commonly do so, rabbits can eat meat. I know because I used to breed rabbits and I had a doe who (gross and horrifying as this is) routinely ate her babies. After the third time this happened we found her a new home. I managed to rescue a few of the kits, but let's just say they were not entirely intact.
> 
> Basically, I'm saying that it is my head-cannon that Bunny can eat the same things a human can. /rant

* * *

Jack was on the verge of hysteria. Glued to Bunny, stared at by half of the Pole's residents  _and_  the other Guardians, soaking in what was perhaps the most putrid water he'd ever had the displeasure of encountering, he felt like a circus freak. He could hear the crier calling now, 'COME ONE! COME ALL! SEE THE AMAZING JACKRABBIT! HALF MAN, HALF RABBIT! THE ONLY SIAMESE TWINS OF THEIR KIND! WATCH IN RAPT FASCINATION AS THEY BATHE IN THEIR OWN BLOOD!' Ok, so it was only Bunny's blood, but Jack wasn't really differentiating at this point.

Literally unable to recall if he'd  _EVER_  been as distressed as he was in that instant, Jack needed a way out, so he did the first thing that came to mind. He bent his knees up closer to his chest, revealing his fully-clothed legs to the watchers. Obviously he was wearing pants. Obviously it wasn't what they thought. Ha! ...But the more Jack contemplated it, the more it was  _exactly_ what they thought. Jack had _very_  deliberately caused Bunny to thump like that, had very  _meaningfully_  chosen his words to hint at his desires and would have even  _enjoyed_  having Bunny holding him like this, if not for the blood soup they were  _sitting in_ and the  _audience_  they now had. If the interruption had come a bit later, they may have walked in on something  _much_ more scandalous than they had.

As it was, Tooth was _clearly_  scandalized. Well, that or amused. Maybe  _both?_  She hovered just in front of Santa, mouth covered with her tiny hands to hide her shocked smile. She had known there was the potential for something between Jack and Bunny for a long time. When they argued, you could cut the sexual tension with a knife and they were _constantly_  stealing glances at one another when they thought no one, including the observed, was looking. They may not have even realized  _themselves_  that they were doing it, but Tooth had. She fluttered up to North and whispered in his ear, receiving a sagely nod in response. Whatever she said, the over-sized Russian seemed to find rather amusing, judging by his grin. Simultaneously to Toothiana, the Guardian of Dreams made an interesting face composed of surprise, confusion and humor as he, too, turned to North - multiple shapes, figures, and even a  _heart_  dancing above his head.

" _Still_  no regrets, mate?" Bunnymund whispered in Jack's ear as he watched the exchange between the other three Guardians. It was as though they were the Judge, jury and executioner discussing the fate of the accused. Just what they were being accused  _of…_  Well, that heart was a pretty strong clue... and, judging by the looks on their faces, he and Jack were not going to live this down for a  _very_  long time.

Speaking of Jack, he had begun to fidget. "B-Bunny," he whispered anxiously, "You're kind of... holding me."

Realizing Jack had spoken, Bunny turned his attention back to the frost sprite in his lap. "What?"

"I can't get up."

"Oh," Bunny replied rather lamely and loosened his hold, but didn't quite release him completely. "Sorry, mate," he whispered to the pseudo-teen, using a discrete nudge of his hips for emphasis, "Ah  _can't_  let ya go just yet." Bunny had good reason. He still had a rather obvious issue down below that Jack was playing living blind to. If said blind stood up too soon, they'd both have a  _lot more_ explaining to do.

Jack froze in place the moment Bunny rolled his hips forward. He understood what it was, a gesture to explain why he couldn't let Jack go yet. It was not  _meant_  to be as sexual as he'd made it out to be in his head, and Jack just had to repeat to himself those exact words over and over.  _It was not sexual. It was_ _ **not**_ _sexual... It. Was. NOT. Sexual..._ _ **It was VERY sexual!**_ _\- I need to get out of this tub!_ The best way to do that at the moment seemed to be by getting rid of their spectators. "Look, guys... Don't get the wrong idea. I was just giving Cottontail here a bath."

"From _inside_ the tub?" Tooth asked skeptically and flitted closer to them, "That doesn't seem very practical."

"Ugh! - _No!_  From  _outside_  the tub," Jack clarified. Even as he said it an exclamation mark was forming over Sandy's head. Jack groaned at it, and being otherwise stuck, he flopped his head back against Bunny in frustration and hissed softly, "Your turn. It's  _your_ fault I'm in here anyway." Well mostly. It was kind of Jack's fault for attempting to get a rise out of him… literally, but Jack was not willing to accept the blame for that  _and_  the blizzard in the same day.

Bunnymund was doing more watching than anything else, only nodding or shaking his head at appropriate moments to corroborate Jack's story, but now he had been asked for help and so obliged by explaining, "He fell in, tha's _all_. He was gettin' out when ya came  _bargin'_  in here an' ya - uh - startled us. Nothin' more to it, mates…" They were _doomed_  the instant he'd opened his mouth, as his words had come out  _far_ too high and cracked to hide his deception.

"That is not what _I_  am seeing, old friend," North noted. He gestured to the two of them and Bunny felt his cheeks getting hotter. "What are you _worried_ about? Is not like you have done something _wrong_. If you were wanting time  _alone_ , you should have  _told_ me," he offered, his grin growing all the brighter. "Then we avoid this, " he gestured to the veritable circus both in the room and still in the hall. " _Da?_ " he winked.

If that didn't sound like the gavel falling, Bunny didn't know what did. "Mate, this  _isn'_ what ye're  _thinkin'_ it is."

The retired Cossack smirked knowingly, "Bunny.., how long have we known each other? You cannot  _lie_  to me."

" _Alright!_  Ya got me," Aster huffed, "Ah pulled 'im in, _okay? '_ E was bein' a bloody boofhead, so Ah pulled 'im in the tub with me. S'there a  _problem_  with that?!"

"No, no  _problem_ ," North insisted. "But I do have  _question_ … If that is  _all_  that it is… why are you still _holding him?_ " he asked, a merry twinkle in his eye.

 _Thank_   _MiM_  he was finally decent enough to allow Jack to stand! Bunny released him as quickly as possible, perhaps even a little _too_  quick. One would have thought Jack had the  _black plague_ the way he momentarily cringed back from him.

Jack was so tensed for action that he practically  _leapt_  from the tub the instant he was freed,  _more than grateful_  for the distance between them. He was really fond of Bunny, but if he was going to do things that incredibly  _sexual_ to Jack, he would have ended up in the same  _boat,_ as well as the same tub.

Resting his arms on the sides of that tub, Aster glanced at the gathering, all of whom seemed to be _quite_  entertained, and heaved a huge, frustrated sigh, eyes falling back to the scum floating around him. "Sometimes Ah swear all'a ya jus' like ta see me squirm," he muttered, irritation clear.

"Now that you mention _squirming,_ " Santa began, peering at the clippers still sitting on the table, "You are all clean now, _da?_ "

Bunny followed his gaze and cringed.  _Not the damned clippers again_ , he thought. To answer the question, he said, "Uhh… Just about. Ah jus' need ta clean.. uh…" and he looked down for emphasis.

"Oh! Yes. You do that," North told him, as though it was perfectly normal for Bunny to wash his privates among his friends.

"Mate… the peanut gallery has ta  _go_ ," Bunnymund flatly pointed out when it was obvious that North hadn't thought to clear the room.

It took another moment for it to dawn on him what his friend had meant. Then North began shooing the elves and yetis back with huge sweeps of his arms. "You heard Bunny everyone who is  _NOT_ Guardian out! Away with you!"

That wasn't exactly what Aster had intended. He cast a look that read ' _Are you stupid?'_  at Nicholas and informed him, "Ah'd really rather be _alone_  fer this."

"You worry too much," North insisted, "We will just talk over there," and he pointed to a spot across the room. "No peeking. You call us when you are done."

Talking over there. Jack thought that sounded like a great idea. Maybe he could slip away and go on a mission for new clothes… He took a deep breath and looked back at North, who was setting two large buckets of warm water next to the tub, presumably for Bunny to rinse himself with. He was half-tempted to step back into the tub and use one of those buckets on himself, but he didn't dare go near Bunny just then. They both needed a breather. He would just have to find a shower to stand under for a while.

Jack was called out of his musings as North picked up a towel and offered it to him. He sighed a little to himself and wiped the towel over his arms and chest. He tried to soak up as much of the water on his pants as possible, however there was no way he was going to get all of it that way. Removing them in order to dry his legs was out of the question so, really, he had no option other than to put up with wet pants sticking to him for the time being.

Frowning at the puddle forming on his ancient wood floor, but making no comment on it, North instead motioned to the wall of windows and commanded, "Come, Jack. I would like to be having _words_  with you." Then he led the way to the point he'd indicated without checking back to ensure his order was heeded. He didn't need to check. He knew the newest Guardian would be along shortly, and he was right. Jack hesitantly followed.

In that moment, Jack wondered if those words would be with all the Guardians, or just with  _North_. He cringed visibly, not knowing which he preferred… Frankly, if it was with  _all_  of the Guardians, he would feel safer in numbers, but then Tooth and Sandy would be privy to whatever it was that North had to say. However, if it was  _just North_ … Well,  _then_  it would feel like his father pulling him aside for  _'the talk'_.

The fairy and the Sandman both had already made their way over to the other side of the room, where Jack could see they were  _still talking about him_. It was obvious from the images flashing above Sandy's head, and the way Tooth occasionally gestured in the direction of the tub. He shot a pathetic glance at Bunny, who was trying to focus on getting clean, but he wasn't sure if it was even noticed.

It  _was_  noticed. While he was  _attempting_ to stay on task, Bunny couldn't help the way his attention kept sliding over to Jack and North. He wasn't really  _looking_ at them, per se, but he could see them, owing to his excellent peripheral vision. It was _because_ of this that he did in fact see the look Jack gave him out of the corner of his eye and felt a twinge of sympathy. Talking to North when he was in 'stern father' mode was no picnic.

Upon reaching the place where the other Guardians waited, Jack went immediately on the defensive. "Look, I don't know what you're thinking, North, but it was really just..," he began in a rush. Then, switching tracks, he insisted, "I mean, _he started it!"_  Yes, what a _mature_  boy he was. ' _He started it_ '. Words to live by. Words that described Jack and Bunny's  _whole relationship,_  really…

North gave Jack his best ' _Oh, grow up_ ' look and crooked a finger at him in a 'come here' gesture. He strode over to the other end of the row of windows, which was a good twenty feet away from Sandy and Tooth, and sat down on the sill, then patted the spot next to him and waited for Jack. The sprite knew he was getting some sort of ' _Bunny_ ' talk and was feeling rather uneasy when he took a seat as instructed, against his own better judgment. It was easier to  _run_ when he was on his feet. He sighed to himself when the lecture that he knew he wouldn't escape began.

"Who started it is not issue, Jack. How do you say... We are needing to have _talk_. I am sure you have figured out... is _about Bunny_." The Russian let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand over his face. "I want to be sure you know _what_ you are getting into. It will take _work_ if you are wanting to be _couple._.." Sensing a potential protest, he held up a hand to forestall it. "I am not _blind_ , Jack," he pointed out. "If you are wanting to be with Bunny, there are a few _things_ you should know. First thing - Bunny is last of _his kind_. You know this. What you may _not_ know is that he has not had a _Mate_ in many thousands of years. More than any of us could _imagine_. Is long time to be alone. After so much time, he is finally ready to try again..." North sympathetically laid a hand on Jack's leg and told him, "...and, whether he is willing to admit or not, he has _chosen you._ You, more than anyone else, will have power to destroy him." He gave Jack's knee a squeeze."You must _be careful._ I do not want to see him _hurting_ again."

North was right in that Jack already knew Bunny was the last Pooka - although he didn’t know every detail about it - and he almost disregarded it, until North landed on the words _he has chosen you_. That gave him pause. Tens of thousands of years _at least_ , and Bunny had _never_ found a _single person_ in the _universe_ that he wanted in the way he wanted _Jack?_ Well, on the condition he really _did_ want Jack. He had never specifically said that, after all, but the word _Snowflake_ and the memory of hot breath against his ear made Jack push that thought aside. One didn’t just _do that_ to someone that one didn’t actually _like_.

The conversation between the Guardians of Wonder and Fun did not go unmonitored by the one being discussed. They were trying to be stealthy, but Bunnymund could still hear the occasional snippet of conversation. Things like 'about Bunny', 'couple', 'blind', 'his kind', 'mate', imagine', 'chosen you', 'be careful' and 'hurting' were spoken with an emphasis which made them _just_ loud enough to be heard by his sensitive ears. If he was piecing the bits together properly, he would want to 'be having  _words_ ' with North in short order.  _Where does he get off telling Jack that we won't work as a couple?_  Bunny steamed to himself. _Have ta be blind, huh? Ah'll show 'im who's blind! Soon as Ah'm strong enough ta stand on ma own two feet,_ he determined while furiously scrubbing at his red stained pelt.

Back at the windows, the conversation continued, it's participants oblivious to how grossly they were being misunderstood. "Second thing -," North went on, "Bunny is big _idiot_. He will jump to conclusions. He will yell. He will say  _cruel_ things he does not mean. He is stubborn, sometimes he is  _selfish_. Sometimes you will have to hit him over head to make him listen," North said in warning, "This is just how he is. It  _will not change._  You will  _need to be strong_  enough to stay by his side in  _spite_  of the _bad_ in him, because the good in him is worth weathering the bad. If you cannot do this, then you  _must not_  let this  _go any further_. Are you understanding this?" he asked, face very serious as he pinned Jack in place with his eyes.

"You're right. He  _is_  an idiot," Jack chuckled, and he pocketed his hands while he listened to North. He was an idiot for pulling Jack in the tub, certainly. North's words struck a chord with him. It seemed as though he was more trying to protect  _Bunny_ than anything else, and with how far back their friendship went Jack wasn't surprised… and yet the 'teenager' was almost terrified of his words. He was essentially saying that Bunnymund was going to snap again one day and Jack had to be able to weather the storm. The last time he'd snapped, Jack had run away... and the time before that, too, when he thought about it. North was asking him  _not_  to run… It was a hard promise to make. Bunny was scary when he lost his temper.

But Jack didn't  _want_  to run. He wanted to stay - he'd always wanted to stay - but the idea that he might do something to ruin it flashed through his mind. It was  _always_ his fault. He was glad he was sitting, because he would have swayed with the weight of the task ahead had he not been. What if they pursued a relationship… and Jack made a mess of things again? What if he drove the Pooka to violence again? What if Jack was  _alone again?_

Now rinsing off with the buckets North had left, Aster was not privy to his young friend's paranoid internal monologue. He was too focused on what he had just heard. Standing out in deceptive clarity wear the words, 'idiot', 'cruel', 'selfish', 'will not change', 'need to be strong', 'spite', 'bad', 'must not' and 'go any further'. The one thing Bunny got right in what he _thought_ he was hearing was that North was saying some rather uncomplimentary things about him. He was  _wrong,_  however, in thinking the father figure of the Guardians was trying to keep them  _apart._  He had his ears pricked sharply alert, practically seething and focused completely on North as the conversation ended with;

"Last thing -" and Santa's eyes set to twinkling in that way he was legendary for, "Do you think you can  _hold him still_ while I  _shave him?"_

Aster's anger all but evaporated in the sudden wash of terror he felt with the last few words his acute hearing picked up. This he was  _absolutely certain_ he had a heard right - and North found it  _funny!_ The Russian didn't  _know_  what he was about to do. He didn't know and Bunny  _couldn't_  tell him. It was just one of those things Bunny didn't like to talk about... that made him feel  _weak_. Scared of clippers - North would think it was  _foolishness!_  It was obvious by the look on his face. And he was coming  _this way!_

Swallowing anxiously, Jack was left behind in a sea of doubt. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. No, not clipping Bunny - he had been too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice the Pooka's distress - but maybe he needed to rethink this whole potential relationship. Maybe he wasn't right for Bunny? Maybe Bunnymund needed someone who wasn't a class clown, someone who wasn't going to try and pick on him every given chance. Someone who didn't infuriate him. He bit his lip and glanced up, just in time to see North walking toward Bunny... the same Bunny who was so scary when he was angry... The very same who was now shaking... violently, and Jack's heart went out to him.

North now halfway to his target, suddenly,  _ludicrously_ , Bunny began casting his eyes about the room in search of a way to escape. He didn't even care that North was using Jack to keep him from fighting again. He just wanted to be gone before that was an issue. Too weak still to run and, though he could probably stand and maybe tap a foot, opening a tunnel wouldn't help. North would just catch him before he could get very far either way. He considered trying to hide, but he'd still have to make it to a hiding place, so that wasn't happening either. Coming to the damning conclusion that there was no way out of it, panic began to set in. Through a move of pure insane desperation, Bunny managed to drag himself out of the tub, flopping in a soaked, undignified mess to the floor, and scrabbled about three feet toward the door before running headlong into what could have been two tree trunks. They turned out to be boots. Black boots. _North's_  boots.

Aster looked up at North, who was grinning down at him, eyebrows in the rafters.  _Santa_ was enjoying himself, at least, but Bunny was starting to hyperventilate again. He curled up in a little ball as North bent down and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, lifting him effortlessly.

"Oh, come now, Old Friend. Is not bad as all that," Nicholas attempted to soothe the shivering rabbit while tucking him under one arm and carrying him over to the med table. He set Bunny down, but kept a hand closed around one upper arm to prevent another escape attempt. With a wicked grin, he looked at Jack and asked, "Are you ready?" Even though the question was not directed at him, Bunny shook his head rapidly in silent disagreement, prompting North to inquire, "Would you prefer I ask Sandy to help?" Sandy, who was still by the windows with Tooth, - both of them just staying out of the way for now - perked up at the mention of his name, a dreamsand ball already forming in his upturned palm. Another rapid headshake from Bunny had him pouting and banishing the sand. He would just have to accept the fact that, if this had to happen, Bunny wanted to be conscious.

Jack was hesitant now. He was confused by his feelings, confused by his thoughts. Was it really okay for him to be touching Bunny right now? Maybe it  _would_ be better if Sandy just knocked him out? Clearly that wasn't what Bunny wanted, but then, Bunny didn't want  _any_ of this. He walked closer to where he was sitting on the table, and looked the Pooka over. He took in his pathetic coat, the way he looked like a scared puppy, the shine of his eyes, and the soft whimpers he made as he squirmed against North's grasp. He remembered the events of before, and he remembered what North had told him. He had made some  _strong_  points.  _Scary_  points! Points that… changed nothing about how Jack felt. Then something sprung to his mind. His own words, his earlier thoughts, a fact. _I need him_ , and then acceptance,  _and he needs me too._

Certainly he was needed right now. For some reason that sparked a smile, and he reached out to put a hand on Bunny's shoulder. "Come on, Cottontail. It's just a _hare cut_ , remember?" he smirked at him, in an attempt to ease Bunny's fears with levity. Jack knew North had only been teasing when he'd asked him to hold their friend. Jack's presence was more to sooth him than to restrain and, really, what did Jack do better than distract Bunny?

Bunny, who looked up at Jack, eyes pleading him not to help North with what he was planning to do to him, and found that he was smiling too! Why was he smiling? Did he find Bunny's fear funny? Was it funny? Honestly, it really was rather stupid - to be this afraid of clippers. Logically, his fear made no sense. A haircut wasn't going to hurt him, he wouldn't look quite so silly and it would eventually grow back. What was he really so afraid of?

_A memory… That's all it was. Bunny, a mere scrap of a boy at only five years old, sat huddled under a table, listening to his mother crying. Why? Why had his uncle done it? Everything would be ok if only he hadn't killed that other Pooka. Right now, on top of that very same table, they were shaving his uncle… and his mother was screaming at them to stop. Telling them it wasn't him, he was innocent.. but the Pookan Mind Meld had proven otherwise. How could this have happened? It was all wrong… All so wrong. His uncle was crying… his uncle never cried! He was crying now._

_They didn't know Aster was there, watching tufts of fur, his uncle's fur, drifting into sight past the bottom of the table cloth. He had learned young how to hide his scent and he knew they'd be so mad if they found him. He was supposed to be learning how to tend flowers with the other kits. So, fearing punishment, he'd hidden when they brought his uncle in. Bunny shivered with every buzz those damned shears made as they severed fur from skin. Physically, it was painless but, emotionally, it was scarring. When they had finished, everyone had left. His uncle never to return. And no one ever found him. No one ever knew of the child under the table._

_The clippers were silent now, but he could still hear them. That sound would haunt him forever. Haunt him to his grave. Buzzzz..zzt… buzzzz..zzt… buzzzz..zzt…_

Bunny came back to himself with a start as the shears flared to life. The sound an almost peaceful hum now, would become that other, horrible noise as soon as North began to remove the last long hairs from his roughened coat. He began to shiver uncontrollably again and ground his teeth loudly out of fright, eyes glossing over as he began to slip away again.

 ** _Remember this_** _, Son. Fur may grow back, but_ _ **honor**_ _cannot..._   _Once you've been shaved, you can_ _ **never**_ _return. Not to your home, not to your family, not even to_ _ **yourself**_ _,_  his Father's voice echoed around him, backed by that hated incessant buzz.

Then Aster became once again aware of another sound. A sound he found comfort in. A rich, deep and melodious voice… Jack's voice. "I know it's no fun," Jack began as he was maneuvering to hold him still, both arms wrapping securely around furry shoulders. "But just let North get you cleaned up. You'll feel better when he's done, I'm sure of it… and even if you look  _awful_..," he smirked, "Well, at least I'll be here to take pictures." Sure, it came out as a tease… but it was also a promise. At least for now, Jack was not going to run.

Listening intently to Jack as he spoke, Bunnymund latched onto his words like they could anchor him in the present. How was it that Jack kept calling him back from the brink of one terrible thing or another? That flashback... He closed his eyes against it. Then, leaned his head back and nodded slowly, mechanically. Unable to form words for the time being, it was the only answer Jack would get.

In the next instant - Buzzzz..zzt… a thin line of fur on his leg was made to match the bands on either side it. Bunny jerked and scrunched his eyes tight, gripping Jack's arm like it were driftwood keeping him afloat on the open sea, claws biting into his skin. Jack paid it no more mind than to wince a bit. Bzzzz..zzt… Bunny jerked again, pressing back into the cool body behind him and tucking his muzzle into the space between his shoulder and Jack's bicep. "Shhhh..," came Jack's sniggering voice from above him, "I've got you, Kangaroo." For once, Aster was thankful for Jack's joking nature. As this time - Bzzzz..zzt - the reaction was slightly less forceful, more a strong shudder than a jump. It helped to focus on the frost sprite and the irritating nickname he'd be sure to address later, rather than what was happening. Bzzzz..zzt… he only shivered a bit harder as North finished up that leg. Bzzzz..zzt - and started on the next. Slowly, as the hair came off - Bzzzz..zzt - and his coat began to look a little neater, - Bzzzz..zzt - Aster began to relax by degrees. His shivering became less, - Bzzzz..zzt - eventually going away completely. - Bzzzz..zzt - He found that Jack being there made him feel oddly safe. Lifting his head from its hiding place, - Bzzzz..zzt - he gazed up at his anchor, his rock - Bzzzz..zzt - then closed his eyes again - Bzzzz..zzt - and tried to pretend they were somewhere else. Somewhere warm and green... and private.

Fifteen minutes later, give or take...

Silence… It was so silent. Bunny opened his eyes and looked around him. North was standing over to his right, grinning like stuffed brumby while he cleaned the clipper's blades with a small brush. Sandy and Tooth were hovering nearby, both looking  _decidedly_  pleased… and Jack? He felt a slight chill in his back and looked up. Jack was still there, still smiling. In fact, he was smiling...  _brighter?_  What was going on?

First to speak was North who, astonishingly to Bunny, asked, "Sleep well?"

Aster cocked his head at him like a confused hound dog and looked back up at Jack again. "Ah fell  _asleep?!"_  he asked, absolutely incredulous.

"Sure did,  _Sleeping Beauty_ ," Jack quipped, although he wasn't entirely joking when he called Bunny that. He really was a beautiful creature, asleep or awake. "You were out _so long,_  I thought I was going to have to wake you up with a  _kiss_ ," he teased further, puckering his lips in an exaggerated way.

Jack had been more than surprised when Bunny had fallen asleep - perhaps _passed out_  was a better term - and had nearly panicked at first, but North continued to work and Tooth assured him that Bunny was fine. It seemed like this time he hadn't fainted in a life-threatening way, just in a 'go to your happy place' kind of way. Still, now that he was awake, Jack felt  _much_  better.

Bunny _tried_ to ignore the vivid image Jack's joke brought to mind. Failing that, he was forced to instead attempt to ignore the flash of heat and the swirling sensation between his hips that image had ignited. He hoped the others equated the tone of his voice to his surprise at having apparently slept for quite a while, rather than to said joke as he asked, " _How long a kip did Ah take?!_ "

"Jack  _exaggerates_. Was only a few minutes. You woke up when I finish."

Blinking rapidly out of pure shock, the Pooka sat up straight and gaped at North again,  _"Ye're done?!"_

"Is all over. And you look very handsome… for  _naked rabbit_ ," North chuckled.

Bunny's eyes went  _wide_ , then  _immediately_  dropped to his abdomen. To his  _vast_  relief, the strip of unshaven fur was still there. He spun his head back to North, managing to look befuddled, angry and amused all at the same time, muscles twitching like the expressions were at  _war_ on his face.

Nicholas smirked at him. "Got'cha!"

That single word snapped the tension in the air like an old twig and Bunny did a most unexpected thing. He started  _laughing._  He'd been holding so much anxiety inside that, when North teased him, it just _burst_  like a dam and came out all at once as a most joyous and  _welcome_  sound. And his emotional release was apparently contagious, seeing as how it swept the other Guardians up in its spell right along with him. It was several minutes before anyone had enough control to speak reliably.

Tooth came forward as soon as she could stop tittering and gave Aster a gentle hug, overjoyed to see that he was no longer upset. "Bunny," she began, then held him at arm's length for a better view, "You look  _much_  better." In appearance, health  _and_  demeanor. He didn't look nearly as ill as he had - much more alive - especially with that smile on his lips.

"Ta, Tooth. Ah  _feel_  much betta." And he honestly  _did._  At least for now, there was nothing  _horrible_  planned for him in the near-future and he was feeling much refreshed, in spite of what had just  _happened_ to him. Tooth's touch as she hugged him felt  _odd_  to his shortened fur, which he wished he could forget about. At least it was  _over_  now and he knew North wouldn't be sending him away any time soon. Although he'd probably be having nightmares about it for the next  _month._  Thankfully, he didn't have much time to dwell on the experience before Tooth patted his arm and asked, " _So?_   _Did_  you sleep well?" It was a playful question, as he obviously had not slept long. North worked wonders, after all.

"Like a stone, sheila," he replied to Tooth's light-hearted jest, it not fazing him in the  _slightest_  right now.

No sooner had she fluttered back a bit to give him space, than Sandy was there, an exclamation point bouncing over his head. He held his hand out to Bunny, and a swirl of sand formed in it. The exclamation above him reformed into an image of the Pooka - rubbing his eyes - accompanied by a question mark and then a series of Zs, rising from his head. Was Bunny tired? Did he want Sandy to help him sleep?

Bunny shook his head. He wasn't interested in sleep just then, although his body most assuredly  _needed_  it. No, right now he wanted _food!_ "No thanks, Sandy. Ah don't suppose ya could track me down some tucka instead? Ah'm so hungry Ah could eat a horse an' chase the jockey!" Sandy nodded vigorously and zipped off to hunt down a yeti to get the Easter Bunny something to eat.

North, who had been waiting patiently until now, got his two cents in by asking Bunny, "So, is not ' _buggered_ ' anymore,  _da?_ " and he looked quite  _proud_  of his work as he did. Let Bunny just  _try_ to say that he'd failed to do a good job now. Sure, it was short, but at least it was mostly even.

Examining every part of the clip job within his sight, Bunny said, "Ah dunno, mate. Ah haven't really  _seen_  it yet. Ah jus' woke up,  _remember?_ "

Jack, of course, snickered at this. "You were out like a light," he chuckled and carded his fingers through the fur on Bunny's shoulder. It was pretty soft, like this, but a different kind of soft from when it had been long and fluffy. It seemed somehow  _denser_ this way and very cushiony. 

"Quit  _petting me_ , mate," Bunny grumbled under his breath as Jack continued stroking him. He _refused_ to admit that he enjoyed the sensation - even to  _himself_  - but he  _did_  enjoy it. It sent  _delicious_  little shivers out from every hair follicle Jack disturbed. He was all but purring inside by the time the hand stopped moving. It was not removed as Jack replied equally quietly, "Aw, c'mon, Cottontail. How could I _resist?_ " Then he leaned in  _very_ close to the Pooka, turning his ear toward himself, and whispered into it at a volume intended only for him, "You're pretty _adorable_  when you're sleeping." Payback was a dish best served when you were surrounded by your peers.

He had been  _about_  to ask for a mirror, but now Bunny's question just sort of…  _went away_. In spite of himself, his heart  _swelled_  a bit, a dopey half-grin taking up residence on his face. The  _little shit!_  Turning his own words against him like that, and in front of the other Guardians  _to boot!_ At least  _Bunny_ had said it to  _Jack_ when they were  _alone_ … but, oh,  _why_  was he suddenly so bloody  _happy?_ He stared into space as that pleasant warmth from before spread through his body again and that doofy grin widened. It was a  _compliment._  Made in  _fun,_ yes, but still a compliment just the same.

Jack did his best not to smile _too much_  at Bunny's reaction. The idiot just looked so  _happy_  to have been called adorable. If it was compliments he wanted, he _really_  should have been reading Jack's mind. He'd be hearing  _a lot_  of Jack's opinions on the  _more-than-sexy_  body the Pooka sported. Pausing in his thoughts to consider the implications, he wondered when he had reached a point in his life where his definition of sexy was _Bunny?_  Most humans weren't into the fur, or the ears, or the tail... but Jack  _was_. He was attracted to  _every_  part of him - as was so _thoroughly_ made clear in the bathtub - and, if the look on Bunny's face meant what he _thought_ it did, the attraction was indeed  _mutual._

Bunny was not privy to Jack's musings, still too wrapped up in being called adorable to notice. Such a  _simple_  thing to make him feel so pleased. He was  _so_  focused on it that he had forgotten briefly the presence of their friends in the room. Then a deliberate cough from North had him suddenly embarrassed again and looking for a way to distract from that rather silly response to Jack's remark.

Luckily for him, Jack provided all the distraction he needed when he asked North, "Does anyone have any spare clothes I could borrow? Mine  _really_  need to be washed." He could feel his pants stiffening as the debris from Bunny's bath dried into a veritable  _shell_  and it was making him itch. More than three hundred years of life - one would  _think_  Jack would have invested in more than one set of clothes. He'd always just stripped down and  _washed_  them when they got dirty. It wasn't like anyone could see him anyway. Now that he was a Guardian and had believers, he was going to have to rethink his laundry habits.

North gave the winter sprite an amused look. "You do  _realize_  that I am only other person here who wears clothes, da?" he asked, one eyebrow arching skyward. With a shrug, he told Jack, "You can borrow clothes, but I  _guarantee_  they will _not_ fit."

Apparently on the exact same page as North, Bunny couldn't help but laugh. The idea of Jack in North's clothing was simply _ridiculous_. The guy could fit in  _one leg_ of the huge man's pants with _room to spare_ and he wanted to borrow clothes? The image the thought conjured was a most entertaining one to be sure, although his laughter elicited a scowl from the sprite.

At that moment, Sandy happened to return trailing a yeti, who carried an entire pot of beef stew. The pot was set down carefully on the utility cart next to the med table and he ladled a healthy portion into a bowl held by the Sandman, which was then handed off to Bunny, before the yeti turned to leave. He didn't get very far, however, North having stopped him and, after a good deal of arguing over the logistics of finding clothes that Jack would not be swimming in, sent him away again, this time in search suitable garments.

A contented sigh issued forth from Bunny as his belly began to fill. He really had been  _starving_. When was the last time he'd eaten? Jack had come down to the warren shortly before lunch, so his last meal had been breakfast? No, wait… he'd  _skipped_  breakfast that morning in order to get some more egg painting in… and dinner the night before... He glanced at a coo-coo clock over the door and was  _shocked_  to see that it was now nearly nine o'clock in the  _evening_. He had gone more than  _twenty four hours_ without food! No  _wonder_  he was so hungry!

The yeti returned rather quickly considering the apparently  _monumental_  task that had been set to him. In his hands he held a pair of pants and a shirt which, although they were most likely too small for North, were still  _far_ too big for Jack.

"Ah! You found my old things from my Cossack days, Toby!" North said with a note of pomp, "Didn't I  _tell you_  I still had them?" Toby rolled his eyes and passed the clothing to Jack, then left without answering, so North turned back to the teen. "They are still  _much_ too big, but will fit you  _better_ than what I wear now," he explained, then patted his belly jovially. "I did not have the  _belly_  when I was young!" he laughed.

Bunny attempted to hide his growing smirk behind the bowl of stew as he ate. Who  _wouldn't_  laugh seeing the  _yards_ of cloth Jack had to somehow keep from  _falling off_ of his body? He wasn't certain the teen's belt would be up to the challenge. But, no sooner were the clothes brought to Jack than  _Tooth_ , of all people, was leading him away.

"Come on Jack, I'll help you with this." Although Jack couldn't say for sure he was  _totally_  comfortable with anyone helping him dress, he couldn't put up much of a fight against Tooth. She was a force to be reckoned with when she had plans for you, so it was best to just go along with it. So go along with it he did.

Little did he know that her offer had sparked an un-Guardian-like emotion in a certain rabbit who, had he not had a mouthful of food at the time, would have protested Tooth's kidnapping Jack. Bunny wasn't sure  _why_  he felt the urge to protest, but he  _did_. Something about her being in close proximity to the sprite just irked him _greatly_. Then Toothiana pushed Jack right out the door and the urge flared again. Swallowing hastily, Bunny began to object, but they were already gone, Tooth leading Jack by the hand, giggling all the way.

Out in the workshop hallway...

"Did you see his  _face?_ " she asked, nudging Jack's arm.

The spirit raised a brow at her and then chuckled. "He looks a _lot_  better, doesn't he?"

"Whatever you said certainly brightened his mood," Tooth chirped nudging him companionably with her elbow. She stopped in front of the bathroom door and pushed it open for him. "Just go change in there and, once you're ' _decent_ ', I'll help you get it all straightened out," she offered.

Jack ducked into the room and sighed. His pants were… _ruined_ , just like the old hoodie which still hung nearby, dry now, but  _irretrievably_  stained. This made two pieces of clothing that he wasn't happy with anymore, which pretty much accounted for his entire wardrobe. He didn't know if he could  _ever_  get his clothes to a wearable condition again. Then, when he peeled off his pants and one leg  _split_  down the side, he  _knew_  they were a lost cause. Well, what did he want for three hundred year old pants? It was a testament to their workmanship that they'd held out this long. He released a deep breath of frustration as he glanced again at the hoodie. Maybe it was time for some new clothes...

Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, Jack suppressed a shudder. He looked nearly as bedraggled as Bunny had _before_  his bath. Eyes somewhat  _sunken_ , bruise-like marks shading the area between them and his cheek bones, _actual_  bruising on his arm where Bunny had held on for dear life, hair a tangled mess, splashed with pink and skin covered in a scummy, red film. Worse, he smelled like something that  _died_  and was left out in the  _sun_  for a week. From circus freak to  _zombie_... this day just kept getting better.

With a resigned sigh, he pushed aside the shower curtain and turned on the water to a comfortably warm temperature, then stepped under the stream to wash his hair and skin with more of that same candy-cane soap. It wouldn't do anything for his eyes or the bruises, but at least he could deal with the rest this way and he'd certainly  _smell_ better. The water felt so nice as it rinsed away the evidence of Bunny's little prank that Jack nearly lost himself in it, but he couldn't allow that. Though he would have liked to have stayed there, letting the falling water massage his weariness away, he only remained in the shower for a few minutes. Just long enough it get clean. It wouldn't do keep Tooth waiting  _too_  long, after all.

Upon exiting, he grabbed a towel from the rack, knocking his stained shirt to the floor next to his pants as he did. He stared at then. They had been with him for so many years, but now he would need something else. He regretfully lifted them, opened the trash can and dropped them in. Then, as he picked up the garments loaned to him, he wondered where he could get new clothes of his own and what he might look like in them. He'd been wearing the same thing for so long, he really couldn't picture himself in anything else.

Certainly not  _North's_  clothes. North's clothes were  _huge_  on him. So big that he was able to pull the waistband of the pants he'd stepped into all the way up to his armpits. He groaned in annoyance. Even though he was able to salvage his belt, he couldn't very well wear it around his waist. He was going to be tripping over the pant-legs as it was. He fidgeted with the belt a bit, struggling to close the buckle. When he finally succeeded, he determined that this was decent enough to allow Tooth to help and pushed the door open.

Tooth's immediate reaction was to chuckle. "You could get  _lost_  in there, couldn't you?" she asked as she knelt down onto the floor. Her wings settled behind her and she reached for the hem of one leg, then began to roll it so it wouldn't hang so low, as she reminisced, "I remember when  _North_  wore these. Certainly brings back memories. Of course, they fit  _him_  much better." She looked up at him as he fought with the shirt and shook her head. "That shirt will be a  _dress_  on you… you may do better just to go without it."

Jack groaned again. Commando and half dressed in North's pants? That sounded  _terrible_. She had a point, though… and as she began to roll the other leg up, he huffed, "You would think _Santa Claus_  would have some  _clothes_  on hand." Not that he wasn't grateful… but this wasn't very practical. "I look  _ridiculous._ "

"And ridiculed you will be," Tooth assured him. Her task complete, she fluttered off the ground and admonished him, "Just be thankful for what you  _have_ , Jack. You _could_  be running around naked. Now let's get back there before they think we got lost."

Jack was _not_ excited for the conversation that would result from his return. The pants could have been a  _tent_ , for all the billowing folds flapping as he tried to walk without falling flat on his face and a good  _foot and a half_ of the fabric which made up the pant legs was rolled up, which just served to make him look  _stupider_. Combined with his still-shirtless top, he could have been a clown. Tooth flittered ahead of him, but Jack was in no hurry to catch up. For once in his life, he was  _dragging his feet_.

Meanwhile, back in the infirmary...

Bunnymund was pacing, wrapped up in his desire to track Tooth and Jack down and stop whatever the fairy's plans were. He growled at himself and shook his head for perhaps the hundredth time. He _knew_  what her plans were. She was _just_  going to help him change. Why did that  _bother_ him so much? Why had he wanted to  _snatch_  Jack away from her when she touched him. Whatever the reason, he knew he didn't  _like_  the thought of Tooth seeing Jack naked…  _before him?_  Was  _that_  it? Was he  _jealous?_  Of Tooth  _touching_  Jack? Of her seeing him  _naked_  and beating  _him_  to it? No. He couldn't  _let_  her… Bunny  _started_  to get up to follow, but then North had him by the arm again.

"Where are you thinking you are going?" North asked, voice stern.

Aster glared at North and was about to tell him  _exactly_  where… then he paused and the color  _drained_  from his face as he realized what he had almost let slip. Instead of the firm 'I'm going to make sure she doesn't touch what's  _mine!_ ' he had been  _about_ to say, he wound up looking like a grouper on dry land, mouth opening and closing, but no sound coming out. After a while of this, during which North was becoming _increasingly_  amused, Bunny finally managed to stammer out, "Ah was… uh… just… going for a walk."

"Bunny, you are  _terrible_ liar," North laughed. "I know what you were _just doing_ and is part of reason I am needing to talk to you."

Unbelievably, Bunny went even  _paler_ , and he mumbled under his breath, "Mah turn, huh?"


	12. In Which Jack Receives the Rarest of Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even the last of the Pooka isn't exempt from 'the talk', but what will this talk reveal and how will Bunny deal with the knowledge imparted unto him? As memories come into question and emotions run high, will Bunny's friendship with Jack ever be the same? Will it even survive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for language and minor violence in this chapter. That is all.

* * *

Certain doom. That was what Bunny felt coming as North nodded, planted him back on the table he'd just about vacated and fixed him with that same look he had earlier given Jack, "Old friend, I am responsible for ensuring that we Guardians are unified team. No fighting _, da?_ " began the lecture. "You are taking  _shine_ to our newest addition and you are being jealous of Toothie." Bunny began to interrupt, but North shushed him just as he had Jack. "I talk, you listen," he commanded, to which Bunnymund responded by clamping his mouth shut and crossing his arms like a petulant child.

This only lasted a second. From the start the whole situation had been reminding Bunny of the sermon given to Jack not long ago, of what he  _thought_  he'd heard. That command had been the last straw and his temper _flared_ with a  _vengeance_. "No, North!  _YOU_ listen! Ah heard you talkin' ta Jack earlier!"

"How did you..?" North began, but Bunny cut him off.

" _EARS,_  North!" he snapped, pointing sharply at them for emphasis, "Oh, ya were pretty quiet, but Ah heard enough ta know what ya told Jack!"

"Bunny…"

" _Where da ya get off?!_  Tellin' Jack Ah'm not _right_ fer 'im!" he yelled at the big Russian, hopping down from the table and pacing unsteadily before him. North was impressed that Bunny was feeling strong enough after eating to walk, although he wobbled quite a bit and kept gripping the table every few steps. The Pooka's rapid healing never ceased to amaze him - that was not the _issue_ at the moment, however. He _tried_ to be patient, knowing said Pooka had  _clearly_  misconstrued what he had heard a short while ago. "Bunny, Old friend..," began Santa again, but he didn't get very far...  _again._

" 'Old friend'  _nothin'!"_  Bunny retorted, "Ya _know_  what Ah've been through! What Ah  _lost!_ Ya know how _hard_  this is fer me!" He halted his pacing briefly to pierce his friend with an icy stare. "Ah've got a  _chance here!_ Ah _need_ this, North! But,  _nooo!"_  Bunny ranted on, throwing his arms in the air. "Ya think ye're so  _high'n mighty_  ya can just _decide_  who gets ta  _fall in love!_ " Returning to stalking the floor as he spoke, Bunny was heedless of his own words - having forgotten their present company - and North's attempts to explain, " _How_  is that even  _up ta you?!"_

" ** _E. ASTER BUNNYMUND!_** _"_ North roared and Bunny's jaw snapped shut.  _"I_ talk,  _you_  listen!" Nicholas scowled at his friend of several hundred years, "I did  _NOT_  tell Jack that you are not right for him. I  _told_  him you jump to _conclusions_  and you have  _temper._  I  _warned_  him that he would have to be _strong_.. and  _this_ is why!" He stabbed a finger at Bunny's chest angrily, knocking him momentarily off balance both physically and mentally. His manner softened, nonetheless, as he said, "But… I _also_  told him that you have been hurting  _very_ long time and I  _do not_ want to see you hurt  _again_. I told him that he needs to be _careful_ so that  _will not_  happen." North said as he gripped his shoulder, "Jack is  _scared,_  Bunny. He does not say, but I know - he is scared of  _upsetting_  you. Scared you will yell like in '68."

" '68 was  _his_  fault, North!"

"No. You were  _both_  at fault for that blizzard," North countered, "Do you  _remember_  when you came to me after? You told me Jack caused you to make mistake. You said you  _yelled_ and you  _chased_ him from warren. Told him _'Don't_  come back'…"

"Until after Easter, yeah," he recalled, "Then 'e went an'  _ruined it_  ta get back at me."

Santa shook his head at him, "Was not to get back. He never  _did_ come back to warren, da? Even  _after_  blizzard?"

"No. 'E probably knew I'd kick 'is ass clear back ta  _Burgess_  if 'e tried."

"Bunny… you _told_  him  _not_  to come back…" North pointed out gently.

The confused rabbit had no idea why that mattered, because, "Ah  _also_  said…"

But North did not let him finish. "Has it  _occurred_  to you... that Jack maybe did not  _hear_ last part?"

"What're ya gettin' at?" Bunny asked, brow furrowing.

"What if he  _did not hear_ last thing you said in warren? What if he  _only_ heard you say  _don't come back?"_  North suggested. "Jack has  _trouble_  controlling his powers when he is upset. He  _cries_ , it  _snows._  He cries _hard_ …"

"It  _snows_  hard… Oh,  _MiM_ …" Bunny whispered, putting a hand to his forehead. It had snowed so much... the blizzard had raged all day and long into the night. Had Jack _really_ been crying that whole time?

"You were only  _real_   _friend_ he had, Bunny. No humans  _saw_  him, no other spirits _talked_ to him."

 _Oh, sure. Rub it in, why don'cha,_  Aster thought. Reality hit him like a ton of bricks as he came to the damning conclusion, " 'E thought Ah was done with 'im... An' Ah  _let 'im_  think it..," and a level of regret he had not felt since surviving the Golden Age alone suddenly engulfed him. "Ah really  _am_  an idiot." Covering his face with his paws, he groaned out loud, "Ah can't fix this!"

North took hold of Bunny's wrists and pulled his paws out of the way. "Then  _learn_  from it, Old friend," he suggested, "Do  _not_  let it happen again."

"North, this is  _me_  we're talkin' about.  _Of course_ it's gonna happen again! It  _always_ happens again…" the Pooka lamented as he grabbed his ears and pulled harshly. "Maybe Ah really  _am_  wrong for 'im…"

"BAH! Mr. Gloom-and-Doom! You are not  _wrong for_   _him,_  but you  _are_  wrong! _"_  North insisted. "If you  _cannot_ stop it happening again, then you must  _change_  what you do  _after_  it happens!  _Go_  to him.  _Talk_  to him.  _Do not_  let it fester!  _That_  is how you fix!"

Bunny met his eyes, feeling his nearly-dashed hopes rising again, "Ya really think that'll work?"

"Da, I do." North stood and patted Bunny on the back, "I do not want to see  _either of you_  hurting. You will have to learn control and humility, Bunny. These things will be needed for relationship to work. If you _cannot_  make relationship work,  _do not_  start it. This is all I wanted to say."

"Ah appreciate it, Nick," Bunnymund smiled, a little sadly.

A soft brush of magic sand to his cheek drew Bunny's eyes right, where Sandy hovered forgotten, his expression sympathetic. Closing his eyes tight, Bunnymund cursed to himself. If he'd  _remembered_ he had been in the room... but he hadn't. Nor had he intended to reveal  _any_ of what they'd discussed to the silent Guardian. Oh, Sandy had already known about Bunny's past and his self-inflicted reclusiveness, but now he knew of Bunny's grievous error towards Jack and that his suspicions upon stumbling in on them earlier had been _correct. Now_  it was  _too late_  to go back.

Seeing the weariness in Bunny's eyes, Sandy again offered his dreamsand, but Bunny shook his head in a second refusal. He couldn't sleep  _now_ \- after so long believing he'd been in the right, to find out he'd actually been very,  _VERY_  wrong was a  _major_ eye-opener. His shocked mind was at once numbed and  _perfectly_  clear. He knew  _exactly_  what he needed to do. That fact made this his best chance to broach the subject and, if he  _waited_ , he knew he'd lose his nerve. He had no idea how his efforts would be received, but he had to at least  _attempt_ to make amends with Jack before allowing himself rest. He _had_  to try.

Just then, the sound of buzzing wings and North's exclamation of, "Ah! They have come back!" heralded the return of their wayward friends. Aster had to again fight down the impulse to rip Jack away from the originator of that sound, but then he saw that he wasn't with her and a  _completely unreasonable_  moment of panic washed over him. It was gone like the wind when Jack slouched into the room shortly behind the fairy. He was  _clearly_ embarrassed, and well he  _should_  be. If he weren't feeling so damn  _guilty_  just then, Bunny would have laughed out loud. Jack looked  _absurd!_ Like a small child playing dress-up with Daddy's clothes. He was honestly amazed those pants were staying up  _at all_  or that Jack had been able to return without falling flat on his  _face._

From their positions, Tooth could see that Sandy, North and Bunny had been conversing and she couldn't help but wonder what the topic of discussion had been. It seemed like something serious. Sandy appeared to have been comforting Bunny who, oddly,  _wasn't_ laughing at Jack. She'd expected the Pooka to tease him  _mercilessly,_  but he wasn't. In fact, he looked  _troubled._ As she swooped over to join in their conversation, Jack leaned against the door frame and muttered, "I don't think this is really gonna work for me," looking down at himself. "But thanks for this, North. I guess it'll do for now." He sighed and walked a little closer to them, stopping when he felt he was significantly in the 'circle'. "So… are we gonna talk about this whole 'weather' thing?"

No sooner had Jack's question left his mouth, than Aster brushed rudely past Tooth and strode over to him - gait somewhat stronger now - _grabbed_  him by the arm,  _spun_  him around and led him  _right back_ out the door again. "Late'a," he said in a clipped tone, "Come with me," and he dragged Jack down the hall with him, studiously ignoring the snickering that niggled at his ears as they gained distance. Tugging Jack behind him, Bunnymund peered into every open door he passed. Here, a bathroom, there a closet, this room was filled with tools, the next clearly sleeping quarters for the yetis, if the bear-like snoring from within was any indication. Any one of these rooms could be appropriate for their conversation, save for  _one_  problem. They were all  _occupied._ The Pooka wanted to do this in private.

Jack didn't know what to think. Apparently he was the king of popular today, because  _everyone_  wanted to drag him off to some secret talk, nevertheless, this was the first one he  _truly_  protested. "B-Bunny - you shouldn't be up walking!" he objected, but it was about as useful as smearing honey on the wall. Bunny would  _not_ be deterred. "Ah'm  _fine!_  Feelin'  _much_ better, thanks," he replied to Jack's complaint.

"You're gonna hurt yourself," Jack warned a second time to which Bunny quickly answered, "No, Ah'm not. Don't be a mother hen," without stopping in his quest for privacy. Another four rooms down the hall and,  _finally,_ Bunny had found one that was vacant. He hesitated outside the door, nervous about what he knew he needed to tell Jack. He had put all the blame for that  _damned blizzard_ on him all these years. Had treated him like a  _worthless, selfish, irresponsible hoon,_  and now it had turned out that he'd been _just_ as at fault as Jack… maybe _more-so_. He was so afraid that Jack would hate him for it. Would he decide he'd had enough and call off any chance of a deeper relationship? Would they even still be  _friends?_

The more Jack looked Bunny over, the more  _concerned_  he became. He seemed like he had something very urgent on his mind, something that had him so preoccupied that, Jack realized, Bunny hadn't even poked fun at his ridiculous state of dress. This left Jack, too, uncertain about the conversation ahead. Was Bunny finally going to lay into him for all the jokes today? Was this about the fact that Jack had purposefully riled Bunny up in the tub? Had he gone _too far_ with that?... Or, maybe, not far enough?  _That_  was an interesting thought.

Unable to stand the suspense, Jack pried, "So what's so important that we can't talk about a global crisis _first?"_  When he worded it like that, he realized, it did sound rather serious. He was beginning to wonder if it truly  _was_  a global crisis and he wanted to fix it before Easter. That way, at least, Bunny wouldn't  _die_ trying to deliver eggs. Bunnymund, however, was getting pretty sick of the topic. "We can talk about the bloody weather  _after._ This won't take long," he scowled at Jack.

Why on earth was Bunny behaving this way? Was whatever he had on his mind was _so consuming_  that he'd rather talk about that then something which could  _ruin his holiday?_ Had North  _said_ something to him? Had they had  _'the talk'_  too? What if Bunny  _didn't_ want what Jack did? What if he wanted to _run?_  North had almost scared  _Jack_ into running, after all…  _Would_ Bunny run? Was  _that_  what this talk was? A 'break up'? They had hardly even addressed if they were an item. Jack swallowed the lump forming in his throat. He couldn't just dwell on his own thoughts… he  _had_ to get Bunny to tell him what he was thinking. "…Bunny?" Jack squeaked, beginning to feel nerves set in. "Is something  _wrong?_ "

Bunny couldn't help but wonder if Jack would still _care_ if something was wrong with him when they reemerged from that room. "No... Yeah... Ah just… need ta..." he started, but still hesitated to enter the room. This conversation could make or  _break_  them. Did he really want to _risk_ it? Should he just be happy with what they have and leave it at that? Finally, after what seemed like an  _eternity_ of internal deliberation, the Pooka grabbed Jack by his belt and hauled him into the blackness beyond, shutting the door behind them and locking it with a soft click.

It was dark inside, but Bunny could see well enough by the moonlight streaming in through the window that it was a small sitting room. Nothing fancy. Just a couch, a few chairs and a fireplace. Jack stood idly in the center of the room while Bunny squatted down before the fireplace and lit it with a match from a pack left on the mantel. He wasn't cold, but he wanted the light, since this room had no lamps. Once it had caught well, he turned his attention to the window or, more specifically, the moon  _outside_  the window. He gazed up at it and said, "Apologies, mate. Private conversation," then proceeded to shutter the window, whispering, "Wish me luck," to MiM as he did so. Now, finally, he was ready to address Jack, who waited patiently - or was he just too scared to break the silence - for Bunny to explain himself.

Bunny fidgeted in place, trying to find his voice for a good minute, before saying, "Jack… Ah… Ah really don' know where ta  _start_ …" he sighed, deep shame in his eyes, "Ah've  _wronged_  ya, Jack. Ah… don' know how ya can even stand ta be  _around_ me, ta be honest.., after what Ah've done."

Thinking immediately back to Bunny jumping down his throat about shaving him, Jack instinctively began to protest. "Bunny, you haven't..." but the rabbit-man shook his head to forestall him. Then, closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths before continuing, "Remember earlier, when Ah said there was one time when Ah yelled at ya that Ah thought Ah was justified? Ah was talkin…. about the blizzard of '68.., but ya probably already knew that… Ah've blamed ya for that fer _forty six years_  now.  _Ignored ya_  fer forty five'a those years."

"...oh," Jack whispered so quietly he wasn't even sure he had actually said it out loud.

Looking back up at Jack again, mouth dry and eyes stinging, Bunnymund finally admitted, "But Ah was  _wrong._ That blizzard was _mah fault_ , mate.., _not_ yours." Feeling somewhat dizzy, Bunny shakily lowered himself into the nearest chair and turned it to face Jack. "Yeah, ya made me botch the paint job on that egg.., but ya were just  _lonely_ … Ya were  _always_  lonely. Ah just… never  _saw_  it. Ah dunno… Maybe Ah didn'  _wanna_ see it?"

Suddenly Jack wanted to be somewhere else. _Anywhere_  else. Bunny was making him relive the blizzard with his words, and it  _hurt_. He could still remember it as if it had happened that very day...

 _He'd wanted to confront Bunny about his feelings for him. It had literally taken him_ _**years** _ _to work up the courage to approach him, but he_ _**finally** _ _felt confident enough in the Easter Bunny's feelings toward him that he was ready to give it a shot. It had even been going well. Good-natured banter and furtive glances abounded, laughter and smiles_ _**filled** _ _the air, until he had taken it upon himself to playfully nudge Bunny's arm. It had truly been his mistake… by that casual action he had caused him to mess up that egg…_

 _And Bunny was_ _**furious** _ _... "What the_ _**hell** _ _d'ya think ye're_ _**doin!** _ _Ah've only got a few_ _**hours** _ _left ta finish up an' ya come in here distractin' me an'..._ _**Damnit!** _ _Lookit what ya made me_ _**do!"** _ _He thrust the googie angrily at Jack, its legs vanishing as he did, becoming a normal egg - the little spirit which had been animating it escaping Bunny's wrath by returning to the flower it would inhabit the rest of the year._

 _"Bunny I.. I'm_ _**sorry,** _ _" Jack stammered, "I didn't mean... I just wanted to..."_

 _"Ah don't_ _**give a stuff!** _ _**Nick off** _ _before Ah_ _**kick yer ass!"** _

_"But... B-bunny..."_

" _ **GET OUT!** _ _" Bunny bellowed, throwing the egg at him._

 _Jack caught it with difficulty, fumbling and nearly dropping it a few times. He turned the lifeless oval over and gaped at the oddly wintery scene (for an Easter egg), now smeared with a streak of white which obscured what appeared to have once been an over-sized rabbit and a shoeless human, judging by the still uncovered feet. Had Bunny been painting_ _**them?** _

_"Are ya deaf?_ _**Nick off** _ _... an' take_ _**that** _ _with ya! It's_ _**worthless** _ _now anyway!"_

 _A lump rising in his throat, Jack gripped his staff_ _**so tight** _ _that his knuckles turned white and he glared at the Pooka. He couldn't_ _**believe** _ _he had been about to... "_ _**FINE!** _ _If_ _**that's** _ _how you're going to be," Jack took to the sky with a shout of, "_ _**I don't need this shit!** _ _"_

 **_"GOOD! GO!_ ** _An'_ _**DON'T** _ _COME BACK!" Aster barked in his wake. Jack_ _**barely** _ _heard it over the wind and the sound of blood rushing through his ears, but hear it, he did. It ripped a gaping hole in his heart to know that Bunny, who he had been about to_ _**confess his feelings to,** _ _now wanted_ _**nothing** _ _to do with him... over a_ _**stupid egg.** _

At least, that's what he  _thought._  It was really too bad he missed the last words of that sentence... "'Til _after_  Easter!" Perhaps if he'd  _heard_  them, the blizzard never would have happened.

Unaware of Jack's thoughts, the Easter Bunny leaned forward and rested his forehead in his palms. "Ah had no  _right_ … ta yell at ya the way Ah did. Ah hurt ya  _bad._.. Ah know that now," he sniffed, nose beginning to run with the tears he refused to let come from his eyes.  _Not now,_ Bunny told himself internally. He would get through this without blubbering like a baby if it killed him. "Ya were  _so alone._.. Ah was  _all_  ya had, an' Ah sent ya away… Ah _sent_ ya _away_ …" His voice was barely audible now and heavily laden with regret as he spoke. He rubbed an arm across his nose and sniffed again, continuing to stare at his own feet. "Ah didn't  _know_  yer emotions triggered yer powers the way they do... S'no  _wonder_ it snowed… hard as it did… Ya were  _cryin'_ just as hard..." He looked up now, eyes near to brimming, but still he would not let the tears come. "weren't ya?"

Jack's head shot up in surprise.  ** _Ya were cryin' just as hard…_** So Bunny  _knew_  about that? Yes, he had cried. He'd cried  _endlessly_ , for  _hours_. And by the time he'd  _stopped_ crying, and opened his eyes enough to see what he had done, it was  _too late._ His powers had affected a massive area of land, almost an  _entire hemisphere_ of distance. Children everywhere in that blizzard were missing out on Easter, and Bunny's work had  _gone to_   _waste._  "B-Bunny..," he stuttered, meaning to ask him to stop talking, but his words went unnoticed, as did the gently drifting snow which now fell around him.

Bunny stood again, facing Jack. "Ah'm not askin' ya… ta  _forgive_  me. MiM knows, Ah don' deserve it…. Ah just… Ah had ta… apologize .." he spoke haltingly. Jack's eyes widened with something Bunny couldn't quite place.  _Shock?... Fear?... Pain?_ Brow knitted together as he stood before him, Bunny wavered, seeming uncertain. His instincts said ' _go to him_ ', his logic said he wouldn't want to be touched right now. He swayed between  _go_  and d _on't go_ ,  _comfort_ or  _let him be_  for who knew  _how_ long... but, in the end, he made up his mind to go with his instincts and took the two steps to Jack, wrapping his arms tightly about the teen's torso and hanging his chin on his shoulder. It was his  _undoing_. The tears flowed freely now, coloring little ribbons of velveteen fur a darker shade as they rolled with the pull of gravity toward the floor.

Jack was affected much the same, just staring straight ahead, eyes unfocused, at the fire and letting the tears and the snowflakes fall where they may. He was  _not there_ in that moment. Not in that room. Not at the pole. He was somewhere _far away_ and _many years_  in the past, surrounded by an  _endless_ field of white. The tears had finally subsided. The snow had finally abated... and Bunny had finally found him. He'd been easy to locate. Bunnymund had only to find the eye of the storm. Where it was coldest. Where whole  _trees_  were encrusted in a thick sheet of ice and half-buried in  _twenty foot tall_  snow drifts. Jack _saw_  him approaching, at a speed that should have clued him in that he wasn't in for a lecture. There had been no actual  _words_ between them then. Bunny hadn't given him the  _chance_. When Jack opened his mouth to speak…  _Bunny_ had closed it...

Shuddering in the oblivious rabbit's embrace, the memory of his nose and lip both  _throbbing_ from a well aimed right hook and drops of red raining down on the snow beneath him, flooded Jack's mind. It was the first time he'd ever had a bloody nose. It tasted like iron, and Jack had  _no idea_  how to stop the bleeding. He hardly even knew that he  _could_  bleed. He'd never really been injured to his knowledge so, prior to _that moment,_  Jack had always felt somewhat invincible. His whole world  _crumbled_  as he stumbled back, falling... and he looked up through teary eyes, vision blurring, to see the  _only person_  who had ever bothered to  _care_... leaving him  _forever._

He'd been left no real option, so Jack had accepted the blame for  _everything._ Had  _accepted_ the punishment. He saw Bunny occasionally after that… always from a distance during Easter - but he could  _never_  bring himself to approach. He'd lived _the rest of his time_  before being chosen as a Guardian  _alone_. They didn't truly ' _meet'_ again until the night North had sent Bunny to fetch him... that  _life changing_  night… And Jack was  _so excited_  that Bunny was even  _talking_  to him, that he could hardly keep the cheerful chirp out of his voice when he said his name. _Bunny!_  The excitement had drained out of his voice nearly the instant the stupid blizzard was brought up. It had been so _long._..  _You're not still mad about that… Are you?_

 _Of course_  he was. Jack knew he would  _never_  be forgiven for it.  _Now_ though..? Just when he'd finally come to terms with that…  _now_  Bunny was asking _him_  for forgiveness? Bunny thought _he_  was responsible for it,  _not Jack?!_  Worse, Jack couldn't even speak, lest he choke on the sobs he'd been working so hard to hide… It was impossible not to tremble, or to stop the snow from increasing, as he heard Bunny's voice crack, "Ah'm  _sorry_ , Snowflake... So… _incredibly_   _sorry._  Ah know… Ah seem ta be sayin' it a lot lately.., but Ah  _am._  Ya'll never know how sorry." He gave Jack a squeeze and swallowed hard, trying to reign in the waterworks. "Ah can  _never_ make up fer… fer what Ah've put ya through… It's amazin' ye're as together as ya are. Ah left ya with  _nothin'... No one_ … It's  _unforgivable_ ," he said in a self-loathing whisper.

Jack was surprised to say the least. He'd thought up a hundred different scenarios, run so many possible conversations through his head, but  _this_ had never occurred to him. Bunnymund had never even tried to hug him before... well, there was the tub, but that wasn't the same. Bunny was holding him so tight, as though his life depended on it... he shivered now and again and his voice sounded so... defeated.

When he released Jack, Aster aimed his face at the floor, not wanting the teen to see the wet on his cheeks, but he wasn't done talking yet. "Ah'd understand… if ya don't want anythin' ta do with me anymore, but… Ah'd like us ta still be… friends," he said hopefully, but dared not ask for more. Rubbing his cheeks as dry as he could, Bunny raised his emerald green eyes to rest on Jack's chin, still avoiding eye contact. "…if that's alright with ya?" he finished, finally able to allow himself what he felt may be his last look at those perfect baby blues and his breath caught in his throat. He couldn't think of it that way. That would mean this was also his one chance to…

If Jack was  _stunned_  to see those normally bright, hope filled eyes rimmed with tears, Bunny's next move had him  _completely floored_. Even the Pooka had no idea how it happened… one moment he was begging for continued friendship, the next his arms were back around Jack and his  _lips..?_ They had a mind  _all their own_. It was a little awkward at first, his mouth being as wide as it was, but Aster figured out in short order that, if he just pursed his lips enough, he could make them fit against Jack's with little trouble.

Unable to process anything considering the way his mind had short circuited, Jack could not respond.  _Kissing him_. Bunny was _actually, genuinely kissing him!_ Didn't he know how  _inappropriate_ it was to do so, in that moment? Oh, but it was so _easy_ give in... so  _difficult_ to resist. He had no  _desire_ to resist. His heart was racing, his breathing - ragged - and his legs felt weak, but that hardly mattered - Bunny wouldn't let him fall. He was more focused on the feel of satin lips moving against his own. They weren't lifeless this time… not cold and wet and still, but vibrant... intense... alive.

Entwining fingers with Jack's hair, Bunnymund locked them together with the bold and insistent force of his grip. He was trying, truly  _trying_  to put  _everything_  he felt for Jack into that _single_ point of contact. He wanted to leave  _no_  uncertainty in Jack's mind. When this was over, he should have  _no doubt_  where Aster's heart lay. Unequivocally defenseless in Jack's chilly hands. His to preserve or to _crush_ forevermore.

They were like that for a goodly while. To think this very morning Jack had painted an egg with a snowflake on it _just_  to torment this man. Now he wanted nothing more than to stay frozen against his lips. His lips… that pulled away  _far_ too quickly for Jack's liking. Just when it seemed they may be  _permanently_  attached at the face, Bunny spun around and padded over to the fireplace. He didn't even explain the kiss... just _walked away_ …

Leaning a forearm against the mantelpiece, Bunnymund stood staring into the flames. He thought for a wild moment that he, too, was burning just like the logs he watched. His  _whole body_  was hot again. Lips  _blazing_  and bruised from the extraordinary  _pressure_  and  _desperation_  in that first, and most likely  _last_ , kiss... The only sound in the room was now the soft hiss of saltwater colliding with scalding stone...

Jack didn't say or do much of anything for a fine moment, the snowfall in the room thickening again the only sign of his emotional turmoil. He'd been so sad, but now he raised his hand up to wipe at the rims of his eyes. He didn't  _need_  tears right now. He was angry. That _kiss_... and  _no_  explanation? It made him angry.  _Angry!_  Jack stormed the short distance between them and, while Bunny was absorbed in thought, very  _roughly_ grabbed the scruff of his neck, redirecting his line of vision to meet his own.

To say Bunny was startled would be a  _gross_ understatement. The Pooka had nearly  _swallowed his tongue!_ He turned, ready for a fight, but his retort died on his lips as his eyes met Jack's. He had been  _crying_ …  _again!_ Why the Hell couldn't he even apologize without making Jack cry? And how had he missed the tears before? Or, perhaps  _more_ surprising, the...  _snow?_ Already it was collecting on the furniture and floor, in spite of the roaring fire. Everything more than three feet from the heat source was now turning white.

Even when Bunny was facing him, Jack refused to let go of his skin. He wanted his  _full attention_  as he narrowed his aquamarines in distaste and asked, " _Where do you get off?"_ in as angry a voice as he could manage. It wasn't as he'd hoped. While his face showed fury, when he spoke, his voice held an abysmal sadness and fear. He didn't let that stop him, nor did he let Bunny answer the question, though. It was _his turn_  to talk without interruption. "Why do you get to bring this up  _again?_  I was trying so hard to  _forget_ it! Do you know how _hard_ it is to forget something when it hurts you _that badly?!"_

Bunny was flabbergasted. He should have _known_  one apology wouldn't fix everything,  _one kiss_  wouldn't send his message well enough. As fresh tears renewed the rivulets on Jack's cheeks, he wanted to pull the sprite to him, to tell him how  _sorry_  he was again…  _kiss_ him again… and again and again and  _again_. Until _all_ the hurt went away, but he didn't have the  _right_...  ** _Where do you get off?.._** It was a barb in his very old soul.

When Jack finally let go of Bunny's neck, it wasn't until he was sure he had his full attention. "I put the blizzard behind me - behind  _us!_ I thought I'd  _made up for it!_  I thought you'd  _forgiven me_ , at least a  _little!"_

So focused on Jack's words was Bunny, it didn't even register on him that Jack had released his scruff. He balked at the accusation. Hadn't he just asked  _Jack_  to forgive _him?_ "Jack, mate… Weren't ya  _listenin?_  There's  _nothin'_  ta make up for…  _Ah'm_  the one who needs ta be forgiven… North explained  _evrathin'_ … Ah  _don't_  blame ya anymore… Ah was a  _bloody jackass_ … that day an'  _every_ day after."

Jack didn't have a hoodie to hide in, so he remained exposed... didn't have pockets to stuff his hands in, so they just sat at his sides in fists, clenching so tightly he thought he might bleed. "You  _touched_  me though -  _kissed_ me - called me _Snowflake!_  I thought you were going to let me back in, and now you're asking me to be your  _friend?!_ " He lost the anger then, voice cracking, and Bunny's heart broke. "I don't  _want_  to be your  _friend_ , Bunny," he squeaked. "I've  _been_ your friend."

Aster tried to ignore the building pain. Jack had said he didn't want to be friends anymore. So that was  _it..?_ Not even _friends..?_  Alright... Bunny had decided going into this that he would respect _whatever_  decision Jack made, but, if this was going to be the end for them, he was going to make  _certain_  Jack understood how he felt first. "Yeah, Ah  _did._  An Ah  _meant_  it…  _all_ of it. Kiss  _included._ " He held Jack's gaze, trying to show him the sincerity in his words, "Jack… Ye're  _right._  Ya _have_ been mah friend… an' a true blue one, ta be sure. Ah don't wanna  _lose_  that, but it sounds like Ah already _have_." Tears once again prickled at his eyes, though he held them back again. Crying would only make Jack feel  _worse._  Bunny didn't want to make him feel worse. Although it seemed unavoidable - Jack hadn't missed the shine in his eyes.

The younger Guardian took a deep breath and turned away from that shine and Bunny was  _so certain_  it was to steel himself for the final blow, that he braced for it as well... but the axe never fell. Instead, Jack implored him, "Please... don't. I was so  _happy_  when you said you  _liked me_ … I was  _happy_  when North gave me that  _talk_. I was  _happy_ when you were smiling like an idiot because of a _silly compliment_ … You make me  _happy,_ Bunny _._ Please... don't take that away again. _I need you."_

 _What was that?_ Had he  _heard_ that right? " _Need me?_ Why would ya  _need_ someone who hurts ya all the time?" he asked, then gripped Jack by the shoulder and forced him to turn back again. Shaking his head, still not sure he believed his own ears, he wondered - had Jack simply misunderstood his reasoning? "Ah only said what Ah did about bein' friends cause Ah thought  _'Ah gotta take what Ah can get_.' Ah didn't mean that Ah don't want _more'_ n that." Did he really dare hope for more? Reaching out his right paw, he tentatively cupped Jack's cheek, wiping a stray tear away with his thumb. "Jack… Ah was  _never_  plannin' ta take anythin'  _away_ from ya today," he began as he took Jack's right hand with his other paw, and said, "Ah was plannin'… _hopin'…_  ta _give_ ya somethin'." He then lifted Jack's hand and laid it, palm open, over his own heart and whispered, "But ya gotta be  _careful_  with it… It's pretty fragile."


	13. In Which the Lyrics to an Old Song Come Into Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Offers in question, intimate moments interrupted and spies among their own. What will Jack's answer be and what does a song about Santa Clause have to do with it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Things get a bit steamy between Jack and Bunny in this chapter. That means more fluff and heavy petting between two men (one of whom happens to be a big bunny). If that offends you... why are you even reading this? No sex yet, but keep the faith. It's coming soon.

Jack just  _stared._  Stared at his hand, stared at the way it was pressed against Bunny's chest - against what he was now realizing by the rapid pounding against his palm was his  _heart_. The teen's breath quickened and his throat clenched as he put two and two together. Bunny was offering him a chance at his heart? Or did he already  _have_  it? It felt like a dream. This couldn't be happening. Bunny wouldn't...  _would_ he? He brushed his thumb over the shortened fur, took in the very _real_  softness, watched the way it settled back into place... and it dawned on him that this was no joke. Casting his eyes, still shining and wet with tears, back up to meet Bunny's, happiness lit them like sapphires. Bunny gazed back at those gems, which held all the sadness and worry he felt, but now also reflected his hope and maybe even a glimmer of the feeling the Pooka had been hiding ever since he woke up. No.., that was wrong. He'd been hiding this for the last forty six years - since before painting that egg. Back then, Bunny had known he  _liked_  Jack, he just hadn't realized how much... but now he  _knew._  Now he was finally ready to call it what it  _was_.., what it had been right along...  _Love._

He'd laid himself open for that love, vulnerable in a way he hadn't been for any other man. Hell, Aster had never even opened up to Lyra, the mother of his child, this way. He wasn't used to letting his guard down and he fervently hoped he wasn't going to regret it. Staying absolutely still, not even daring to _breathe_  and biting his lower lip, Bunny kept his eyes on Jack, watching his every move and prayed with everything he had that his fellow Guardian would accept.

A beautiful,  _wonderful_  smile filled up Jack's face and Bunny mirrored it with his own. It told him Jack wasn't upset by the offer. In fact, he seemed to be overjoyed - but one short, watery chuckle, the closing of his eyes and a shake of his head caused doubts to surface in the rabbit-man's mind. Was he  _wrong?_  Did Jack find his offer  _funny?_ Was he about to be  _refused?_ When Jack pulled Bunny's paw down from his chest and gave it a seemingly sympathetic squeeze, he truly feared that may be the case. He almost turned away, but hecouldn't, like he was under a spell - stuck in place by his own suspense. However, he would  _not_  believe in those doubts till Jack confirmed them. He would hold out  _hope..._

Jack took a deep breath again, to calm his nerves and steady his emotions. This had been a long, scary day. He was ready for this, a moment of something he knew  _wasn't_  scary. This was easy - comfortable. He could get  _used_ to this. He let himself sag against Bunny and pressed into the fur of his chest, resting his face against his shoulder. He was happy. Stupidly happy..,  _absurdly_ happy. So happy he suddenly let go of Bunny's paw and hugged him tight about the torso, furry arms tentatively encircling his shoulders in response. "Bunny," Jack muttered, words muffled by the Pooka in question, "I forgive you." Perhaps not the most _romantic_ words he could have chosen given the situation, but they rang true. Jack forgave him - for everything. The pain, the yelling, the solitude -  _everything_. "It wasn't  _all_  your fault… but I forgive you."

But that wasn't what Bunny wanted to hear right then. Well, he _did_  want to be forgiven and hearing Jack say that  _was_  a comfort, but it seemed as though he was passing over the offer like it had never been made. He loosened his hold on the frost sprite, who took a step back and looked up at Bunny, flashing his trademark smirk. The same he used when he was up to no good, and the rabbit-man was so close to convinced he was going to be turned down just then that he jerked his head back in surprise when Jack casually suggested, "So…I ' _kissed' you_ earlier… and _you_  kissed  _me_  just now. How about we try that  _again_ … Maybe make it  _mutual_ this time?"

Bunny smiled perhaps one of the biggest, sappiest smiles ever to grace his noble features, that squirmy feeling in his abdomen beginning to feel like an old friend as it came alive again. A thrill radiated out from it and through his entire body unbidden at the proposition presented him. Jack wanted a  _kiss_. He was  _asking_  for a kiss. A kiss wasn't an answer, but far be it from Bunny to disappoint. "Is that a  _challenge_ , Snowflake?" he quipped, letting one of his paws, which had been sitting at shoulder blade level on Jack's back, slide lower, till it rested on the dip just above his perfect little rear. The other paw found purchase again in Jack's hair and he leaned in _very slowly_ , quite deliberately dragging it out. His eyes drifted closed as he zeroed in on his target. Oh, how he'd been waiting for this. Even Bunny hadn't realized just how much he wanted Jack. Now, here they were, finally, after such a long and tumultuous friendship, about to take that first step toward something more.

And Jack was growing impatient. Was he _trying_  to drive him nuts? The seconds felt like hours as the distance slowly closed and he fidgeted in place, lips puckered and eyes closed. No way. Bunny wasn't getting away with this. He'd waited far too long already to put up with him taking his time now. Unable to stand the wait any longer, Jack raised himself up on tiptoes to meet Bunny's advance, a moan tumbling from his lips as they made contact once again, little lights flickering behind his eyes. This kiss was so muchgentler than the last. The lips against his own were soft and pliant, the arms around his body held tight, but not uncomfortably so and, though it was still filled with all of Bunny's love and need, there was a tenderness there which had been absent before. Even the way Bunny's whiskers and the fur which bordered his lips tickled was enticing. It wasn't like anything he had ever experienced and he _liked_ it. He liked it a lot.

With a gratified sigh, Bunny pressed down harder, then opened his mouth a bit, using the pressure to pry Jack's lips apart just enough to slip his tongue between them and into the slightly chilly cavern. He tasted a hint of mint as he explored the contours of the frost sprite's perfect teeth, knowing that Tooth would be  _so_ jealous, but not caring overmuch at the moment. Jack was  _responding._  Not just _letting_  himself be kissed, but _kissing back._  The rabbit's mind swam in a sea of hope and joy as Jack's arms came up behind his shoulders, urging him to deepen the kiss. The longer it lasted, the more that feeling down low coiled and twisted. Withdrawing his tongue did nothing to stop it and, as he gave a slow spin of his head, rolling their lips together, it intensified all the more.

This being his first time _intentionally_  kissing another person, Jack tried to mimic Bunny's movements. He meant to take initiative, try a few things of his own but, before he could do much else, Bunny abandoned his mouth altogether, trailing light kisses down his skin to that little dip where neck, shoulder and chest meet. It was a spot that, prior to that  _exact_ moment Jack didn't realize set him off so much. The teen was lost in the sensations of whiskers and fur brushing over sensitive skin, followed by a slow lick and then a soft nip. So much so that he wasn't aware that he had gripped  _very_  firmly some of what little fur Bunny still had on his chest.

The almost-pain the hold on his fur caused sent  _thrills_ through Bunny's every nerve and had him joining Jack, lost in the heat of the moment. The heat - which radiated from that place which clenched and twisted more with  _every_  passing moment. Only now did he recognize that feeling in his belly. Sad really that it had been so long that the feeling had become alien. It was  _arousal_. He realized now that the young man he held in his arms was ignitinglust within him and his body was prepping to take things further... he  _also_ realized he needed to settle down.

Jack had no such trouble recognizing the heat that stirred within him. It happened a _lot_ around the Pooka, not that that should be surprising. He was so  _incredibly_  attractive. That long, leanbody, the soft fur - even short as it now was - just  _begging_  to be touched, those eyes - as dark and enticing as the deep woods on a hot summer day - a look, a stretch, a laugh _._.. he never knew what might set it off. Oh, he usually brushed it off as gas or perhaps an on-coming illness but, deep down, he  _knew_ that he washot for Bunny. The difference was that  _this_ time it was more intense.  _This_ time they were  _kissing_.  _This_ time that paw was on his back, holding and forcing him  _closer._   _This_ time _._.. Bunny had offered him the  _rarest gift_ the universe had to offer and he was _overwhelmed_  by it all.

The impromptu lovers had  _no idea_  they were being watched by one over-protective busy-body of a Russian, a twittery fairy and an impish sand sprite. Just the same, back in the infirmary, North chuckled at their antics as they viewed them via snow globe. "I am thinking we do not have to worry anymore. They seem to have _forgiven_ each other, da?" he asked of the other Guardians in the room, earning himself a grin from Sandy, who seemed to think their covert observations were  _great fun_. The symbols flashing over his head indicated his agreement with North, as well as his amusement with the whole situation.

Even Tooth, although she was feeling rather guilty at the moment, couldn't help but giggle as she alluded that, "If they keep  _that_  up, we might have to rescue Jack, though," a hand covering her mouth. This was something she often did when she did not want her expression to be easily read, but it was nearly impossibleto hide the excited giggle forming behind it. She had wondered for some time if Jack had  _feelings_ for Bunny - he always seemed so determined to impress the Pooka. She knew it had been many, many years since Bunny had found someone he could  _tolerate_  enough to love… to see them together now was very touching. She had practically swooned when Bunny pressed Jack's hand to his chest. Now, though, she had to turn away when Bunny invaded his mouth, unable to help the flare of resentment she felt at his conquest. It was somewhat silly of her, she knew. It wasn't as if she was even interestedin Jack himself, but his _teeth_  - well, that was another matter. She knew that she would have to learn to live with it, however, so she swallowed her pride as the Tooth Fairy and tried to focus on being happy for them instead. Still, she felt a flicker of relief when Bunny moved away from those snowy white pearls and on down Jack's neck.

North  _wasn't_  relieved. Things seemed to be progressing to a level they had not thetime - nor Bunny was really in any condition - for. It wasn't long before they were watching a return to the devouring of Jack's lips and Jack was busy pressing his body as flush against Bunny as he possibly could, practically  _climbing_  the last of the Pooka in his demand for more. He seized one long ear about halfway up, pulling it down, and just held it like that. If he wanted, all he had to do was rub it and the whole thing would escalate into something far more intense. That was the point when Saint Nick had seenenough. He cast Tooth a knowing look and said, "Maybe is time to talk about weather ?"

"I think," Tooth answered, "that talking about the weather is a  _lovely_  idea," lest the three of them end up watching some sort of pornography unfold on the snow globe. With that she buzzed out the door, four fairies, including Baby Tooth, trailing her to the sitting room. It was only a matter of seconds before she arrived, but several minutesbefore she actually knocked on the door. She knew what was happeningin that room, yet she hesitated to interrupt. They had been waiting  _so long_. Perhaps a few more minutes wouldn't hurt.

Back in the sitting room...

Bunny pulled away from the kiss again, an annoying little voice in the back of his mind telling him that something was still missing. He looked down at his ravaged friend, expression uncertain. It was very romantic standing there with Jack in the firelight, staring deep into those cerulean depths, with little flakes of snow drifting serenely past. He was scarcely aware of the rest of the world, barely daring to  _move_  for fear of breaking this enchanted moment. All that mattered was  _Jack_. Jack and that earnestly-made offer... and  _that_  was what was missing. The kisses had been  _amazing_ , but Bunny needed more than that to be sure. He needed an  _answer._  That in mind, he used the paw behind Jack's head to gently guide it back to his chest so that the sprite's ear was over his rapidly beating heart.

The racing and pounding he was hearing - along with the slow, hoarse breaths, told Jack that things had gone too far. What did he expect to happen? It wasn't as if he could be  _whisked away_  into a sexual wonderland by the Pooka. Bunny was still sick. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath to steady himself and just listened to the throbbing beneath his ear. That sound.., the fact that his heart was _still beating_ \- so loud and strong - was a comfort to Jack. To Bunny, it was deafening, but the overall silence in the room was  _suffocating._  It was like all other sounds hadceased. Bunnymund couldn't stand it. He  _had_ to break it. "It's yers, ya know," he told Jack, kissing his silvery-white hair. "Has _been_  for the better part'a fifty years." He hooked a finger under Jack's chin and tilted his face up so that he could look again into those beautiful orbs and repeated his offer, " _Ah'm_  yours... If ya'll have me."

The meaning behind his words was  _powerful_. He wanted to make itofficial. Jack understood that. He was respectful of that… and when he stared again into the grassy green eyes, the eyes that he swore were forever filled to the brim with life and hope, he wondered what in the world Bunny saw in him. What could he  _possibly_  see, besides rabbit jokes and snow storms? It hardly mattered just then, because Jack knew now that  _he_ wanted to make it official, too.

"Bunny..," Jack breathed, and he didn't recognize his own voice. It was silky, it was hushed, and it was _dripping_ with a desire that he had never given in to before. That desire in his voice caused Bunny's heart to skip a beat.  _This was it_. He was _finally_  going to get his answer…

And then someone was knocking at the door...

Had it not been so short, the fur on the back of Aster's neck would have risen in  _severe_ annoyance as Tooth's voice rang through the solid oak, "Jack! Bunny! Are you two alright in there? We need you back with us. We've got to talk about what's going on outside." She had a lot of nerve interrupting them, and it was about the  _weather_ again! He knew they needed to discuss it. Hell, it had nearly  _killed_ him this morning, but not knowing what Jack's answer would be was killing him  _now._ He just wanted a yes or a no out of Jack and then they could talk weather till they wereblue in the face.

The rabbit rolled his eyes and glanced toward the door, about to tell Toothiana to go away, when Jack unknowingly intervened. "Yeah! We're fine. We're just… talking." Bunny had to cover his mouth to stop himself laughing out loud at the other man's lie. _Just talking?!_ It was a half-truth at best! "Is  _that_ what the kids're callin' it these days?" Bunny joked, keeping his voice low, "Last _Ah_ heard it was called  _'_ makin' out'!" Eyebrows briefly going suggestively skyward, he chuckled lightly at his own humor and grinned in that lop-sided way only Bunny could.

Jack snickered as he extricated himself from his arms. It took a great deal of willpower to force himself away from Bunny's embrace… but Tooth was an island of reason in a sea of want. They had things to do,  _children_  to protect, so he turned and began heading for the door. It vexed Bunny thoroughly that it seemed as though he wouldn't be getting that answer yet after-all. He huffed and made to follow, but then Jack paused, sighed, pushed a hand through his hair and stepped back to where he had just been. He reached up and lovingly stroked Bunnymund's cheek, drawing out a smile despite the other man's vexation, but it wasn't so much the touch Bunny happily pressed into that had brought joy to his face. No, that took a back seat to the whispered words, "Bunny... I don't know why you're giving it to  _me_ , of all people, but I  _do_  want your heart. You can have mine too..," Jack told him, "Fair trade, right?" He then took a paw and guided Bunny toward the door, too embarrassed by his own statement to keep looking at the Pooka, although he shot a smirk back over his shoulder and promised, "But I'mstill gonna call you 'Cottontail'," with a flirtatious wink.

That was about as clear of a yes as Bunny had ever heard and it made him happy. So happy that he didn't even  _care_ that Jack was planning to call him 'Cottontail'. At least it wasn't  _Kangaroo_. And  _MiM!_  That _wink!_ It made Aster want so badly to kiss Jack again.., then haul him back to the couch and just  _pin him to it_ right there and then…  _repeatedly_ … for about the next two hours, but all be damned, it wastoo late. He didn't even get to so much as _comment_  on the 'cottontail' thing before Jack had the door open and he had to swallow whatever words he had been planning to say in the face of Tooth's broad, and somewhat unsettling, grin - and a  _furious_  mini-fairy who suddenly attached herself to Jack's head.

Baby Tooth was now chittering away at Bunny as though he'd crossed some unknown line, her chirps translating roughly to, "What are you doing holding Jack's  _hand?!_  He's  _mine! Go away!"_ She then turned her attention to Jack, who giggled, "Hey, there's plenty of me to go around!" patting her tiny feathered head, while her sisters fanned themselves dramatically.

Aster glared at Baby Tooth and was about to tell her off when Toothiana reminded them, "Come on, now, boys! We've got things to do!" then she put her hand onJack's shoulder to direct him down the hall and Bunny very nearly  _pounced_ on her. He managed to keep himself in check, owing to North's earlier words on the subject, although only _just._ Instead he took a deep breath and settled for moving to Jack's other side, taking his hand as they walked.

The move surprised Jack… until it occurred to him that perhaps there was a  _green monster_  lurking about. A green monster named Bunnymund. If that were the case, it would have to be addressed. Jack and Tooth had always been sort of  _touchy-feely_ on each other. She was always in his mouth, looking at his teeth, and he was always pushing her away by her shoulders, or playfully frosting her wings in response. These things had become a comfortable part of their daily lives. Of course, Jack did that sort of stuff to all of them. Having been alone so long, he had become a very tactile person. Always craving touch - to know that he  _could_ be touched... and to know that he had afamily. He barely remembered the family he'd had before his death. Just what few precious memories were stored in his teeth. The 'most important memories of childhood', as Tooth had put it.

The Guardians had become his family now. Like with Tooth, he'd developed a bond with each of them in one way or another. He was often nudging Sandy's shoulder playfully or playing games of charades with him - when they weren't cooking up some mischief or other. The two of them had become like siblings to him. Then there was North, who had come to feel like a father figure, and Bunny, who meant so much more than a brother or sister to him now. And who could forget Baby Tooth who, for whatever reason, made Jack feel a sense of familiarity and comfort. The little fairy was often buzzing around him or tucked into his hood… although he had no hood for her to hide in now. She seemed content to cling to his hair for the time being, but he would really have to do something about a new hoodie soon. And that thought reminded him of the ridiculous wardrobe he now modeled.

Ignoring Bunny and his issues for now, Jack rolled his eyes at Toothiana. "I bet North and Sandy just want a chance to make fun of these _pants._ " If one could really call them that.

Tooth couldn't help but smile. "Well… They aren't your  _best_  look, Jack," she admitted. "Are they, Bunny?"

Bunny did a double-take. He'd  _completely_ forgotten about the damned things! The last time he'd seen them, before tonight anyway, it had been North who wore them. On him, they had looked quite dashing. On Jack?  _Absurd_  was more the word that sprung to mind. Waist band clear to armpits, belt holding them up - only just barely - and so bloody baggy that they were more reminiscent of a _dress_ than pants. "They  _could_  stand to be a bit tighter…" Bunny commented to Tooth. Then, angling his mouth toward Jack's ear, in a voice meant only for him, he said, "Or a _lot_ tighter…" and finished it with a conspiratorial wink and a waggle of his eyebrows.

"Well, yes, tighter  _would_ be an improvement. Shorter too... Oh, Jack! You just need new clothes!" she sighed. Clothing…. It was one problem that humans faced that frankly she wasglad not to have to deal with. "Those pants are so heavy _,_  I think they'd fall right off if you tried to fly." The mini fairies, who apparently liked the sound of that, fanned themselves, sighing airily and Tooth flashed them a wry smile. "Alright, girls. Back to work now," she commanded and the mini-fairies grudgingly flew away to parts unknown, Baby Tooth hesitating long enough to say a quick good-bye to Jack.

Jack crossed his arms over his chest in a juvenile display of mock-sulking. "Yeah. Yeah.  _Yuck it up,_ " he griped playfully, giving Tooth a shove. He was unaware of the dirty look that was shot in his direction as they re-entered the infirmary to find North waiting for them with a very self-satisfiedsmirk plastered all over his person. "So… All is _forgiven_  now?" he asked, pointedly looking down at Bunny and Jack's hands.

Aster followed the Russian's gaze and abruptly  _dropped_ Jack's hand, hiding the guilty appendage behind his back as the short fur of his cheeks appeared to turnpink from the suddenly scarlet skin underneath. He cleared his throat and said in a  _tellingly_  cracked and rushed tone, "Yeah, mate. Everythin's rippa. Just bonza. Neva betta." Bunny tried to ignore the way his cheeks were burning and hoped no one had noticed. He was getting  _very_ tired of blushing for one day.

Too bad no one told  _North_ that. He just couldn't resist letting the cat out of the proverbial bag, as it were. "That is good," Nicholas smirked, "We would not want to have to  _separate_  you, da?" his voice _heavy_  with implication and his eyebrows doing a fair imitation of the motion Bunny's had made when teasing Jack a minute ago.

"You wouldn't  _believe_  it, North! He  _actually apologized_  for... what?" Jack stopped midsentence, his own words having overlapped with North's accusation. He looked at Bunny, who's face did a very funny thing just then, the fur going from pink, to whiter than ever before, to  _blooming_ into a fine and hilariousfuchsia. "Wha.. wha… whawhat..  _What didja just say?!"_ Bunnymund stammered, eyes going wide as he recalled the lyrics to an old song,  _He sees you when you're sleeping..._ "You were  _SPYIN' ON US?!"_  He was so embarrassed he didn't know whether to hit North or laugh hysterically. " _WHAT THE HELL, MATE!_ " he exclaimed. This clarified the odd look on Tooth's face when she'd come to get them. Everyone already  _knew_ that they'd made out… er,  _up._.. before they'd even had a chance to tell them because they'd S _EEN THE WHOLE THING!_ E. Aster Bunnymund had the sudden urge to find a rock to crawl under and die right then _._  No preamble. Just roll over… and die.  _Oh, MiM…_ he groaned internally,  _Somebody just shoot me…_

Jack swallowed his initial reaction to freak out - just as Bunny was - as it dawned on him that they had been watching them. His eyes flashed over to Tooth, then Sandy, then lastly, North, and he snorted. "That's really creepy, guys." Of course, the way Bunny was reacting wasfunny, so Jack wasn't  _too_ mad. Besides, it couldn't stay a secret _forever_ , could it? He reached out and lightly bumped Bunny's arm. "Don't get your ears in a knot, Cottontail… Just because the three Guardians who are  _known_  for entering children's homes at night were  _spying_  on us… Hey, that just says something about  _them._ "

Quick to react, Sandy flashed an exclamation over his head followed by an image of himself, on his cloud, outside some buildings. Jack shrugged his shoulders. "Okay. Alright.  _Sandy_  is exempt - he doesn't actually go in the houses."

Bunny gave Jack a disdainful look. "Ah'm with ya on the creepy part, mate, but ye're forgettin' that some'a the eggs  _Ah_  hide have ta go in people's homes too," he pointed out. "Goin' inta kids' homes is part'a the job." For a breath's time, it seemed like Bunny was defending the others, but then he swiveled back and snapped, "Spyin' on _us_ isn't!" He backed a few steps away from the other Guardians so that he could see them all, accusing, "What're ya? A bunch'a bloody  _voyeurs?_ " of everyone but Jack.

A very privatesort of Pooka, Aster didn't like the idea that North had had the _gall_  to invade their privacy during such intimateactivities and wanted to be certain that this  _never_ happened again. Not that he had  _that_ big of a problem with displaying affection in public, but private was  _private._  How was he evergoing to feel comfortable consummating their relationship if there was a chance they were being  _watched?_  Bunnymund shook himself at that. Was he  _really_  thinking that far already?All the more reason to not back down now. Although, he couldn't help but snicker a bit when Jack jumped into the fray, the brash little larrikin, walking forward until he was chest-to-chest with North - well, more like chest-to- _belly_  - and tilting his head to look up at him with a smirk. "Dirty old man."

With an affronted air, North insisted, "I am not dirty old man! We were only concerned. Bunny is still  _weak_ , da? What if he collapsed again?" He looked from Jack to Bunny and reminded him, "Jack cannot carry you by himself."

Arms crossing, Bunnymund rolled his eyes. "An Ah'm sure it had  _nothin'_ ta do with you busy bodies wantin' ta see if we were havin' a  _blue_ or not."

Nicholas scowled at him. "Did I not just say, I am  _not_ dirty old man?"

"A blue is a _fight_ , North... Wait... You thought Ah said..? UGH!" Bunny pinched the bridge of his nose and scrunched his eyes shut in an effort to fight off the on-coming migraine. "Give a bloke a  _break_ , will ya?"

Raising her fingers to drum nervously on her lower lip, Tooth asked, "Are you mad, Bunny?" She hadn't considered that Bunny would be quite this upset over them watching what they had expected to be a simple talk. It really wasn't _their_ fault that Bunny couldn't keep his paws to himself. She _did_  have to admit, however, that she had enjoyed what she saw. The whole thing had just been so touching and sweet! What was Bunny so embarrassed about?

Incredulous was more what Aster was feeling just then. Was he mad?  _Really?_ Wasn't it  _obvious?_  " _MAD?_ " he chuckled, a somewhat demented edge to the sound. " _Naw_... why would Ah be _mad?_ Ya were just watchin us... watchin us...  _GAH!,_ " he blustered, grabbing his ears and pulling them over his face briefly. Releasing them, he added, "An' Ah can't believe you were doin' it too!  _Sandy,_  Ah kin see." He gestured to the sandman behind him, but didn't take his eyes off of the Tooth Fairy. "but  _you_ , Tooth?"

" _Bunny!"_  Jack hissed softly, having caught a glimpse of Toothiana's face as Bunnymund laid into her. He could tell she was hurt, though she hid it fairly well. Still, she couldn't prevent the shadow of pain that had fallen over her eyes. Bunny clearlywasn't paying much attention to her face or he may have realized the damage he was doing with his words.

Jack was not the only one to jump to her defense. Putting a hand on Tooth's shoulder, North frowned at Bunny. "She was concerned, as we  _all_ were."

Attention now back on the most guilty of the spies, Bunny was oblivious to the pain he'd caused Tooth - which was par for the course with him - and, the instant the flustered rabbit turned away from her, Jack saw her fingertips raise to cover her lips, eyes casting to the floor. Tooth's shock resonated with Jack, he knowing the way it felt to be judged by Bunny better than  _anyone._  Taking up residency beside his fairy friend, he playfully nudged her arm with his own in an effort to lighten her mood. "Hey," he whispered, "I know you were just trying to make sure he was safe…" She nodded her head at him in response, but didn't say anything on the subject. A check of her eyes told Jack she was lost in thought, so he let her be for now, focusing on Bunny and North's continuing argument.

Bunnymund gestured wildly as he railed, "It just aint  _right,_  North! Watchin' a bloke when e's... Ah mean watchin' people when they're... uh.." The flustered Pooka simplycouldn't make himself say it. It was just too much to say in polite - ok, maybe  _not-so-polite_  - company.

Of course, North took it upon himself to be  _ever so helpful_ and finish the sentence for him. "Making out?"

"Ya heard me say _that,_  too!" Bunny gaped at him, arms going limp at his sides in an expression of disbelief.

"No.  _That_ was guess," Santa told him, "We stopped watching when I sent Tooth to get you. Was ok to stop then. Tooth would help if there was problem."

"Ah'm  _FINE,_  mate! Fit as a fiddle!" Bunny lied. In truth, he was feeling pretty drained just from the fifteen minutes or so he'd been up and about. His muscles ached, he had a  _splitting_  headache and he was worn out in general. "There was no call ta..."

"Alright, alright!" North interjected, "Enough is  _enough!_  We are having more important matters to discuss."

Aster refused to be deterred. "No morespyin',North." He would get North to promise no more such incidents would occur if it  _killed_  him.

North gave a reluctant sigh and raised one hand, palm facing toward Bunny. "I swear I willnot watch you without asking permission first."

"Better'n a poke in the eye with a blunt stick, Ah s'pose," Bunnymund muttered as he made his way back toward the bed, feeling the sudden need to get horizontal. He had nearly made it too, when a wave of dizziness caused him to stumble. Luckily he was close enough that he managed to catch himself on the edge of the mattress, preventing the veryfall the Guardians had been worried about, just as Jack, having instinctively taken a step forward, tripped over his pants. Before he could untangle himself, North had rushed to their friend's side, hauling him to his feet. "Oh, yes. You are _all_  better. Why did I not _see_ this?" he muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm, as he helped Bunny lie down.

Laying back with a resigned sigh, Bunny finally admitted, "Ok... Maybe ya were  _slightly_  justified in watchin' me."

Tooth and Sandy flew over to Jack to help him sort out his pants and stand up. "I've heard of tripping all over yourself for someone, but  _you_ take the cake," the Tooth Fairy joked while he dusted himself off. "I didn't trip on  _myself,_  I tripped on these _pants!_ I swear, these things are going to  _end me_ ," he grumbled as he turned his eyes to North. "So… about the weather," he began, prompting everyone to gather around the bed where the furred Guardian now lay.

Part of Aster was glad Jack hadn't made a big deal out of his near-collapse, but another, much more  _vocal_ , part felt slighted that he had gone straight to talking about the weather without so much as asking if he was alright. He  _was,_  of course - ok, that is - but that wasn't the point. He would have at least  _asked_ if it had been Jack who had stumbled.  _Especially_ if he'd nearly _died_ several times that same day. But he tried not to let it get to him. It was a matter for later. Rightnow they had a global crisis which could wait no longer.

Visions of sunshine and people fanning themselves forming from dream sand in the airspace at the center of the group as Sandy began explain his take on the situation. Jack was getting better at understanding his way of communicating, but even still, he hardly knew what to make of it, until the form of a woman with vines in her hair appeared within a sand sun.

Tooth piped up, pointing at the form. "Mother Nature," she exclaimed and Sandy nodded his head. To that, Jack rolled his eyes. "She wouldn't do this sort of thing," he said pointedly. "She makes it her businessto make sure nature is balanced. She's dedicated to her work! There's just  _no way_."

"Unless something's  _happened_ to her," Tooth offered, although she was open to other suggestions. "There's no need to get defensive, Jack."

"I'm sure she's fine…" he murmured, more trying to convince himself than anyone else. It was a real concern to him… What if she'd been captured? Or worse, _killed?_  After all, why else would someone with such an important job let it get so out of hand? He glanced at North and Bunny, then out the window at Manny and finally, the sun, which shown steadily despite the late hour, his mind racing. "Maybe it's something else? I mean there's got to be another explanation…"

Aster propped himself up on one elbow and listened to them talk. He couldn't help but wonder if it  _was_  Mother Nature. It made perfect sense. Jack was right that she wouldn't _let_  this happen, but Tooth had a good point as well. What if something had happened and she wasn't given a choice in the matter? He was about to comment on it, but North, who had pulled up a chair and sat facing Bunny, beat him to the punch.

"Tooth may be right, Jack. Is something we should look into." He leaned back and put his feet up on Bunny's bed, much too close to his face, in the rabbit's opinion. "Unless you have _better_ idea?"

With a disgusted grimace, Bunny shoved his feet back to the floor, which earned him a chuckle from the owner of said feet, then he added, "It's  _gotta_  be. There really isn' anyone elsewho can control the global tempera…" A flash of memory suddenly shot through him and he sat  _bolt upright_  at the impact of it. His ears swiveled back and lay flat against his neck, face showing shock and anger.

North saw him jerk and then bristle like an angry porcupine. It would have been rather funny if not for the fact that they were having a very  _serious_ conversation and the behavior was out of place given what he'd been saying at the time. He tilted his head curiously as he asked, "Bunny? What is  _wrong?"_

 _"It's Pitch..._ " the rabbit asserted in a dangerous growl.


	14. In Which the Horrors of the Past Are Eclipsed by Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How can an overprotective rabbit, enchanted fur and a magic potion add up to saving Easter? Jack is determined to find out what's going on, but why is Bunny so determined to stop him? What's got the unshakable rabbit so shaken? And what mischievous scheme is North cooking up now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- More steamy stuff abounds! This will be the last SFW (Safe For Work) chapter till after I get the entire sex scene up, which ended up being 3 chapters long... *cough cough* No sex in this chapter though.
> 
> \- I'm issuing a warning here for graphic descriptions of gore and death (no major characters, I promise. OCs only.)

The silence in the infirmary was palpable, as four sets of stunned eyes fixed on Bunny. No one had seen or heard anything from their old enemy in almost a year. To the best of their knowledge, he was still trapped underground - entertaining his nightmares. What could possibly have given Bunny the notion that the Nightmare King could be involved?  _"Pitch?"_ North repeated, sounding far louder for the overall quiet in the room. "That makes no sense, Old Friend."

"Pitch can't control the weather, Bunny," Jack chimed in, though he didn't sound as sure as he would have liked. Pitch had surprised them before...

"Too right!" Bunnymund insisted hotly. "E's got somethin' ta do with this!" Slamming a fist into his palm, he reiterated, "Ah'm _sure_  of it."

" _Why_  are you so sure?" Santa pressed, leaning forward in his seat, "How could you know this?"

Bunny swung his legs off the edge of the bed and huffed. "It was when Ah came close ta carkin it earlier. Pitch... got inta mah head. 'E said Ah was 'only the first' an' that the rest'a ya were goin'a 'fall to 'is plans'."

"And you only think to mention this  _NOW!"_  North balked, standing suddenly - the stool toppling over with the sudden movement.

"North, Ah had one foot in the  _grave_. Ah didn't remember until now."

How easily those words had passed Bunny's lips. It didn't thrill Jack to hear his new boyfriend - Mate? What was he even supposed to call him now? - speaking so casually about his near-death. Didn't he know how scared they had all been for him? How the Pooka race had nearly been lost to the amnesic mercies of history and time, to live on only in story books? He seemed more concerned about the mind-invasion by Pitch than he was about almost losing his _life_. Jack couldn't help but wonder what it was that made Bunny hate Pitch so much more than the other Guardians did. So much that it eclipsed his concern for his own survival.

He was still brooding on this when North approached. "Hmmm… Jack, you report to Mother Nature, yes?" he asked, thoughtfully stroking his beard. "Spring began five days ago. Should she not have contacted you by now?" he queried and tried to catch Jack's gaze, but the slippery sprite abruptly dodged around him, making his way to the bed that Bunny was currently sitting on. Santa smirked as Jack braced his palms against it, lightly hopping up and ensconced himself just beside the Pooka. With a friendly nudge to Bunny, he then looked back at North, who doubtless wanted an answer. "I guess so… she usually tells me to hightail it out of the hemisphere... but she hasn't yet..." His brow furrowed when he thought about it. He was processing slowly, head still muddled from the day's events, but he was beginning to agree that something was amiss where the overseer of all things nature was concerned.

Aster rested his chin in one tired paw and frowned as he came to the realization that, "She hasn't contacted me either. Not since she told me ta git my keister in gear on preppin' for Easter months ago." Normally Mother Nature would have checked in with him again for a report on his progress, but he'd heard nary a whisper.

The enticing scent of mint and new snow permeating the air caught Bunny's attention then and, though he tried to focus on the conversation, it was turning out to be something of a monumental task. The almost electric tingle emanating from the place where his arm met Jack's and the return of a certain snaky squirming had him fighting to keep his decency. He fidgeted as he sat in close contact with the source of the odor, his body crying out for him to take Jack and go… somewhere. Just find someplace private and…

He shook himself. This was no time for such thoughts. They had a serious problem to discuss... One he'd delayed the discussion of for his own personal issues far too long already. "This's never happened before, mates... and Pitch..."

Jack slumped forward in resignation, folding himself at the waist and groaning. "You think Pitch has Emily Jane... er, Mother Nature. Is that what you're saying?" It was upsetting. She was more than just his boss, she was a friend. Or, he called her that, at least. It was true that they only talked a few times a year and it was always about work, but she was one of the few people who knew him, observed his existence, before his becoming a Guardian. "Well she's always in her Sacred Grove, so it wouldn't be hard to tell if she was missing… Maybe we _should_ check on her..." A sigh issued from the sprite as Bunny laid a supportive hand on his back. Although he didn't know much about Jack's relationship with Mother Nature - seeing as how it was a certain blizzard that first attracted her interest in the boy - it comforted Jack to know that Bunnymund, who now hesitantly patted him, was there for him anyway.

"Do you know where her Grove is?" Tooth asked, between giving orders to a seemingly endless stream of returning fairies. "Do you think you can find her?"

Straightening back up with another sigh, Jack yawned and leaned against Bunny. The action forced the rabbit-man's arm behind Jack's back and he was momentarily uncertain as to what he should do with it. He could cram it between the two of them and lay his hand on Jack's knee, but that could be misconstrued as a rejection before his paw got that far. He could wrap his arm around his new Mate's waist, but that was certainly too intimate for their first foray into publicly displaying their affection. In the end, he draped the appendage over Jack's opposite shoulder, pulling him tighter against his side as he did so and causing a purple tint to color his cheeks.

"I know where she  _should_  be," Jack answered, trying to hide his embarrassment behind the tired eyes he turned towards North. "I mean, I know where shelives. I could check there.., but not tonight. I…" he yawned, then blew his breath out in a long stream and admitted, "I don't think I could get there. My powers are pretty 'kapoot'." Bunnymund looked down at Jack as he quoted North and felt a bit guilty for his admitted lack of power. It was sort of his fault that Jack's magic was drained, he having spent much of the day using it to keep Bunny alive. The winter sprite could probably fly if he was given the chance - Wind would gladly carry him - but even if she got him there, if Pitch was with Mother Nature and Jack went without any powers, it would be akin to suicide. "I need to recharge first."

Now Bunny found himself wishing that he could somehow help Jack to do just that, but the only things that could really restore his powers were sleep and time - and time was something they had very little of. They had to figure out what was going on and fix it in the next five days, before Easter. Otherwise, they would have to find some way to keep him cool while he was hiding the eggs and that was a challenge Bunny would rather avoid if possible.

As Bunny worried about his holiday, sleep was tempting Jack. He had never been more comfortable than he was in that moment, being snuggled against Bunny's chest , with that arm draped around him like they were teenagers in a movie theater. Well, by all appearances, he  _was_  a teenager, but that had nothing to do with it. He was tired and Bunny's shoulder was like the softest pillow he'd ever encountered, so he nested his head in the fur there and exhaled wearily as Bunny instinctively ran the underside of his chin over to top of his head, first one way, then back.

The action left behind a swath of Bunnymund-scented hair, which Bunny found himself breathing in contentedly, although discreetly, so that the others couldn't tell he was basically snorting Jack. He didn't know whether or not Jack knew quite what he was up to, but he figured it didn't really matter. Jack had accepted his proposition. Normally this would be the next step for a Pooka - to scent his new Mate in order to warn off others who might want to challenge his claim. But there were no other Pooka, so the scent-mark he'd left was more a personal indulgence than anything else

The two hadn't noticed yet that Tooth was smiling fondly at them. She was pleasantly surprised by the change in their behavior. Jack just leaned against Bunny like it was his right - like he was made just to lay his head on that shoulder and Bunny? Well, he'd just laid his claim right in front of them. The two had never been this comfortable around one another - it was a nice change. For Tooth, who felt she may explode from the level of cuteness and awkwardness coming from the two of them, it was restorative. It trumped all her other feelings, even her dissatisfaction with Bunny's earlier outburst.

Upon looking back up at the others, Bunny noticed that Tooth was making an odd expression as she watched them. He squirmed under her scrutiny, but did not move his arm. It occurred to him then that he had forgotten something key about Toothiana. She was familiar with chinning. She knew exactly what he'd just done and what it meant. Now he  _really_ wanted to just get the hell out of there.

A moment later, it dawned on him that Jack had been talking about going on his little adventure alone and he forgot all about Tooth. Bunny nudged Jack off of himself and turned to face the younger Guardian - who looked affronted at having been ejected from his comfortable postion - ignoring the rising eyebrow. "Mate, ye're not plannin' on goin' lookin' fer her on yer own, are ya?"

"I don't think any of you can go. She doesn't like having a lot of visitors in her Grove." He'd hardly finished the sentence before Bunny said, "Jack, Mate, ya  _can't_  go alone! What if ya run intaPitch?" Bunny had lost his first Mate that way, he wasn't about to let it happen again.

"Yeah, I know - but why would Pitch be there? If he was behind this, like you say he is, don't you think he would have taken her somewhere _else_? What's the point of sticking around that grove. It's full of light." Flicking the end of Bunny's nose, he maintained that, "I'll be fine!  _Trust me!_ "

Shaking his head in defiance of the very idea, the Easter Bunny insisted, "Naw, Mate, Ah'm goin' with ya! " The last time those words left Jack's lips, things didn't go so well.

North, who had been watching the entire exchange rather impassively until then, interjected, "Bunny, you cannot leave the pole! It is still hot and only gettinghotter! I cannot allow you to take this risk!"

Sandy seemed to agree with the sentiment, as he produced an image of the sun beating down on Bunny, the sand-Bunny then, in a  _morbid_  display, collapsing and turning into a headstone.

Narrowing his eyes at North and ignoring Sandy, Bunny countered, "But ya'll let Jack risk fightin' Pitch  _alone?!_ " Unconsciously the Pooka gripped Jack's hand in a possessive manner. "If he'sgoin', _Ah'm_  goin'!"

That pushed Jack over the edge on the debate. " _Let_  me risk it?! North doesn'tcontrol me, Bunny.  _None_  of you do," he glared and tried to pull his hand away, not quite succeeding in doing so. "That forest is  _supposed_  to be hot. It's gonna be a  _lot_ hotter than Burgess was. You  _can't_  go and you can't stop _me_ from going either!" Jack knew they were making a scene, but wasn't this an interesting problem? Bunnymund and Jack used to be unable to work together because they couldn't get along. Now it was becoming clear that, should they have to fight together, they would be too distracted with keeping each other safe.

One might suppose it should be expected. Jack was an uninformed replacement for a family he didn't know existed, and Bunny was the first person Jack could even remember who liked him at all. At least, liked him in  _that_  sort of manner. "You're still sick anyway. There's  _no way_  you'll be okay to go out in the heat again this soon," Jack persisted, fear seeping into his voice. "I never want to see you _dying_ again!"

The _terrified_ way Jack had said that was like a physical blow. Bunny's chest and throat clenched and he suddenly found it hard to breathe. He didn't want to hurt Jack again but, at the same time, he didn't want to risk  _losing_  him either. There had to be a way for them to check Mother Nature's glade without risking anyone's life or, at least, a way to minimize the risks. As the other Guardians tried to convince him to back down, his gaze slowly dropped to their linked hands and he couldn't help his mind slipping back into the past...

**_"LYRA!"_ **

_Suffocating smoke. Grey clouds floating low to the ground, bringing visibility near to zero. The acrid smell of burning wood and flesh filled the air and stung in the throat like a poisonous fog. Bunny wanted to hold his breath. To cover his nose and block out the smell, but that would mean he couldn't call to his Mate._

_**"LYRA!"** _ _he bellowed once again._ _**"Where are you?!"** _ _His voice echoed unnaturally throughout the bowl of the ancient volcano in which the village had been built. Just this morning, the sound would have been broken up by buildings erected by beings not born of this world, but now lay crumbled at his tan-furred feet._

_One day those feet, along with his belly and parts of his face, would be white, the rest of him varying shades of grey, but this was the far-distant past. This was a time before North and Katherine, Ombric and Tooth, Sandy... and Jack. Before MiM called upon them to become Guardians. This was a time when he sported no markings and his fur was the color of a freshly made caramel - before he changed his colors to distance himself from this pain. This was a time he would rather forget..._

* * *

"Don't forget. I've handled Pitch before. Even if he is there, I've always been fine before, haven't I?" A cocky comment only half-heard, the young male speaker reaching out and putting a hand on Bunny's knee. "I know you hate hearing it, but North is right. You just can't risk it. We  _need_  you."

* * *

_He'd been searching for a long time now, but Bunny could not find his Mate. Only blood and bits he could not identify, which clung to his paws at his passing, tainting his fur to match. Just this afternoon, only minutes before Hell came down from the Heavens to lay waste to their home, Lyra had taken their young daughter, Tania, out to pick berries. Bunny had promised to teach the child how to bake a pie upon their return if she behaved herself for her mother. He no longer cared if she had been a good girl or not. Now he clung to the vague hope that they still lived. He could hold out hope - for they hadn't been at home when Pitch's nightmare galleon appeared in the sky._

_It was still there now - firing it's weapons on anything that moved. For that one reason, Bunny was thankful for the smoke screen which concealed him from sight. Still, he clutched his egg-tipped staff tightly, the familiar feel of it a comfort in the completely alien landscape his home had become._

_Aster wandered at random, paying little heed to the sharp rubble slicing into the bottoms of his feet. He prayed that the warren was still intact and Pitch hadn't broken through the spells and enchants meant to protect it as he stepped dazedly past the gore and fur that had once been neighbors, friends, family... A familiar ear, tattered and missing its owner, a hand that had waved to him every morning as he went out for the day, part of a face he'd seen smiling just an hour ago... His own mother's..._

_He turned abruptly away, horror etched into his features, too shocked to react other than to call even more desperately than before,_ _**"LYRA! TANIA! ANSWER ME!"** _

_Wails and moans filled the air, yet no one seemed to be alive. Not everyone was dismembered - some barely appeared injured at all. Whenever he came upon a body mostly intact, he would stop to check for life, but not one had a pulse. Not a single breath to be felt or voice to be heard from those he found. They were all dead and the rest of his family was still missing._

**_"IS ANYONE ALIVE?! PLEASE?! ANSWER ME!"_ **

_He was numb. How could one man... one man... have done all this in mere minutes. It had to be a nightmare... A horrible... unimaginable nightmare. This couldn't be real!_

* * *

"Even if you  _do_  feel better," a part of him heard Tooth say. "You've got to get ready for Easter. The children need you, too!"

* * *

_The children... A stuffed animal, burnt and torn... Tania's... His knees nearly buckled... then he heard small feet crunching in fast, short steps on broken stone and his heart leapt. "TANIA, BABY! IT'S DADDY! COME TO DADDY!" he called desperately. He prayed with everything he had that he was right._

_But he was wrong. Horribly wrong... the sound had come from black shapes, vaguely humanoid. Living shadows, but so much more dangerous... Fearlings. They came at him fast, but he was faster. He whipped his enchanted staff around, slicing through them with ease... One... Two... Three... and they vanished in a wailing wisp of dark mist. He chanced to look up at the galleon and was met with the appalling sight of thousands upon thousands of fearlings, in a wave of toxic black terror pouring down from it and washing over the village. The moaning and wailing became shrieks and the ranks of fearlings were bolstered, the originators of those voices having been forever transformed into servants of the King of Nightmares. This was his death coming to claim him. He would soon wish he had let it..._

* * *

"Just let me go, and stay here where you're safe," Jack asked, trying to reason with the dazed rabbit. He could see Bunny had grown distant, but he was unaware of the flashback occupying his mind. Jack didn't know the history of the Pookas. He only knew that Bunnymund was the last. If he could see what came next...

* * *

_Bunnymund ran in what he believed to be the direction of the berry fields, once-tall grass now black and charred, crunching beneath each footfall. He dared not call out any longer, lest the fearlings hear him again. Instead he tried to look for his missing loved ones by sight, but the smoke was too thick and it clawed at his corneas. He was running blindly, unable to see through the tears which filled his eyes, born only partly of the smoke._

_Suddenly, the ground rushed up to meet him. Instinct guiding him, he tucked himself into a roll, coming to a stop about ten feet from the thing that had tripped him. The soft...brown-furred..._

**_NO!_ ** _he thought frantically, scrambling on all-fours toward the unmoving mass on the path._ _**NO! IT CAN'T BE! PLEASE NO!** _

_It took mere seconds for him to reach her, but he knew before he did that his fears had been realized. Lyra lay prone in a quickly spreading pool of red. Bunny had to swallow a sob as he knelt in it, reaching out to lift her head and what was left of her torso onto his folded knees. Unbelievably, she opened her eyes, just a crack, and offered him a weak smile. A shaky hand rose to him and he took it, holding on tight._

_Blood poured from her mouth as she attempted to speak. "As... ter... I..lo.. lo..."_

_And then she was gone... Her last words lost with the escape of her breath._

_Burying his face in the thick ruff at her neck, E. Aster Bunnymund screamed... and screamed... and screamed..._

Aster blinked and shook his head as he came back to himself. The other Guardians were talking to him, but he scarcely knew what had been said. Something about North and Easter and children needing him. He also noted that there were now two yetis in the room again, apparently expunging it of the day's refuse. It was all inconsequential in the face of the  _one_ thing he knew for certain; he was  _not_  going to stand by and let Jack go alone without a fight.

Giving Jack's hand a squeeze, expression heavy with pain both new and remembered, Bunny pleaded, "Ye're right, Jack. Ah can't go... but neither can  _you!_ " and he brought the other paw up to cover Jack's hand, sandwiching it between both of his. He wrapped his fingers so tightly that the extremity all but disappeared, then he met Jack's gaze again. "Ah don' wanna see  _you_  dyin' either," he asserted, swallowing the emotional response his eyes attempted.

From the scene unfolding before him, North knew exactly what had just happened. It had only been a minute and he wasn't sure anyone else had noticed, but Bunny hadn't beenwith them. The haunted look in his eyes, the way they focused on nothing, even how he responded only to Jack's concerns voiced  _before_ he cast his eyes to their hands. He was thinking about Lyra, and he was hurting.

Catching everyone by surprise, the massive man suddenly swept forward and enveloped Bunny in a sheltered cocoon of white hair and red suede, tucking the Pooka's face under his arm. He held him like that for a long moment until Bunny let out a shuddering sigh and looked up at him.

"Ta, mate..." he said a little tentatively, embarrassed by the gesture. North meant well, but he took no notice of personal space or Bunny's pride. "Ya wanna maybe... uh..." Taking the hint, North grinned down at Aster, then took a step back.

Jack was stunned. North had just  _hugged_  Bunny for no apparent reason. Even more stunning was the fact that Bunny hadn't pushed him away. In fact, he'd barely even protested... and he  _thanked_  him… Clearly, North had thought Bunny needed that hug, and the rabbit-man seemed to agree, albeit reluctantly. It reminded Jack again that there was much about his new boyfriend that he wasn't privy to.

Now free of North's affections, and significatly calmer, Bunny's brow furrowed in concentration. He had to think of a way that might allow someone to accompany Jack. There had something he hadn't yet considered... Sandy!" he suddenly blurted out, looking to the Guardian of Dreams. "Ya know Mother Nature, don'cha? If ya go with Jack..." but Sandy merely shook his head sadly and displayed an image over his head of himself and Emily Jane, she turning her back on him while he looked on in disbelief. Bunny sagged again. That was right... he'd forgotten that Sandy and Mother Nature had had a falling out after their last battle with Pitch. She had been furious with them for not trying to save him when the Nightmares dragged him away. He was her father and they had just stood there and watched, passing judgement as though they had the right. 

Ruffling the fur of Bunny's head and breaking him again from the melancholy that threatened, Nicholas assured him, "We will not let Jack die, Old friend. We will make sure he is..." North trailed off, eyes focused on something behind Bunny.

Bunnymund turned around to see what had caught his attention, but saw only a large bag which contained the remnants of his poor abused fur the yetis had gathered as they cleaned. One of the yetis traipsed over to it then and grabbed the bag, beginning to tie it closed. North nearly tackled him for his trouble. " _Nyette!_ Leave that here!" North told the furry beast.

The yeti shook his head and began to walk away as North opened the top of the bag. He then made a face, tied it and handed it back to the confused creature. "On second thought, take this to laundry and wash it."

Watching the whole thing curiously, Bunny asked North, "Whadda ya want with ma fur?"

The Russian smirked at him. "Jack is needing new clothes, da?"

"Yeah, but what's that got ta do with..." Aster tried to say, but was interrupted.

"And you want to protect Jack, da?"

"O'course! Ah still don't see why ya need..."

"We will make Jack new clothes! Pooka fur is  _special_ , da? Yetis will make your fur into fabric! We will enchant it! Make him new sweater and we give hood  _Bunny fur trim!_ " North punctuated his words with a slap to Jack's unprotected back, eliciting a devious grin from the Sandman who half-floated, half-bounced in place, nodding his head enthusiastically.

A gasped, "Ah!" rose from Jack's throat at the sudden impact which knocked the breath from his lungs. He nearly fell off the bed from the force and barely had time to collect himself before Bunny caught on to what the Guardian of Wonder was getting at. "North! That's bloodybrilliant!" he whooped, and now it was Santa's turn for an unexpected hug.

"How... wait, what?" Jack stammered. They wanted to spin Bunny's fur into new clothes for him? That seemed a little odd. He knew you could spin long fur into yarn for clothing, but Bunny's? Jack wasn't  _entirely_ against it and it seemed to cheer Bunny up, if nothing else, however, he was beginning to feel like he was being coddled.

Tooth flittered a spin in the air above North and Bunny, clasping her hands together in excitement, then zipped back down level with their faces and cried, "That's a great idea! If you enchant it, then Jack will be safer, and he can still go find Mother Nature!" Sandy immediately nodded in agreement and patted Bunny's shoulder companionably, grinning like a fool. No one was even  _looking_  at Jack anymore.

"Enchant it?" Jack parroted, frowning at the others, who seemed not to notice he'd spoken. Was he even a part of this conversation? They were just deciding on this without even  _consulting_ him. It was as if he weren't eventhere and that fact irritated the frost sprite. "Hey!  _Hello?_  Maybe _I_  have an opinion here?"

A question mark formed over Sandy's head as everyone paused and turned to stare at Jack. "You want to make me _enchanted_ clothes?  _Why?_  It's not like I need training wheels." He wasn't a child, he was a Guardian, be he Bunny's 'Mate' or not. "I've made it three hundred yearswithout enchanted clothes. Why should I need them now?" He had arguably the most raw power of any of them. Then again, he also had the least control over his powers. He was untrained and strong and his magic unpredictable. He had frost and ice fairly down pat and his magic snowballs were pretty useful but, while most times he could handle snow fairly well, his emotions still got the better of him. The now-wet floor and furniture in the sitting room was proof enough of that. Then there was that attack he'd used on Pitch in a moment of cold fury last year. He'd hadno ideahe could do that. Still... "I can take care of  _myself_ , guys."

Tooth shook her head. "It's not like that, Jack. It's a way to ensure your safety, like insurance. We trust you and we know you're strong, but accidents happen." She hovered closer and whispered in Jack's ear, "It'll make  _Bunny_  feel better." She then zipped back to North's side, and left Jack with a little more personal space, easing up on the pressure. He glanced back at Bunny, knowing now that this was more for the  _rabbit_ than himself. "Will it shut you up about me going?"

"Now,  _look here_ , Frostbite!" Bunny snapped, "I..."

" _Bunny!"_  Tooth admonished before he could dig himself a nice, deep, angry hole.

Giving a resigned sigh, Bunny heaved his tired body back up onto the bed next to Jack and told him, "Ah know ye're really the only one who can go, an' ye'reright that she doesn' like visitors." He frowned at the floor as he spoke. "Ah'm still not happy about the whole idea, mind ya, but Ah can stomach it a lot better if Ah know ya've got at least a part'a me with ya."

North clapped his hands together then, the sound loud and sharp, commanding attention. " _GOOD!_  Is decided then! Tooth, Sandy, get lazy butts back to work!" he, ordered, then told Bunny, "You show Jack to guest rooms." Then, unable to resist the chance to poke fun, he warned them in an unnecessarily loud voice, "And you had better  _behave_ yourselves!" He waggled a finger at them. "No  _fooling around_ , da?"

"Noooorth…" Bunny groaned. Did he  _HAVE_ to say that in front of the others? He could have at least waited until Sandy and Tooth had gone about their business, but that was no fun, was it? He was enjoying himself too much teasing the new couple. The Pooka briefly wondered why they had bothered saving his life. At this rate he was going to die of embarrassment anyway.

Tooth giggled behind her hand. She was honestly trying  _not_ to find this funny, but she couldn't help herself. Jack and Bunny were just so cute when they were embarrassed!

Not done with his game just yet, Santa leaned in close to Jack and said, his voice softer, but still perfectly audible to all in the room, "Not until Bunny is recovered…" He nudged Jack with an elbow and winked playfully at the two of them.

Running a paw over the top of his head and ears in frustration, Bunnymund grumbled, "The sooner, the better…" neglecting to consider that one could potentially take that to mean something entirely different than he'd intended.

Sandy was rolling in the air at this point, laughing soundlessly and Tooth nudged him. She didn't want to miss the jovial man's teasing them, but she and Sandy  _did_  have work to do. She put her hands on her hips and announced, "We're on it!" as Sandy saluted smartly. Then the two Guardians were out the door and back on duty, with a lot of catching up to do.

As soon as they were gone, Jack raised an eyebrow at Santa Clause like he was insane. "Well, you  _know_ , old man, if you're gonna be  _watching_  us all the time…" he trailed off, and smirked.

"Oh! Speaking of Bunny getting better…" North started to say, ignoring Jack's attempt to tease him as he walked to the row of cabinets which stood next to the door. Rummaging around in one of them, he pulled out several bottles and set them down on a table littered with weights and measures and flasks of all manner.

"Now what?" Bunny inquired, shuffling over to investigate.

"You need to get better quickly," North explained as he poured something blue into an empty flask in his hand. "I will make  _certain_  you do," he told Bunny. He set down that bottle and picked one up containing something red and viscous.

Bunnymund poked the discarded bottle. "What're ya makin'?"

"Healing draught," North answered. "It will speed healing process. Maybe even grow your fur back faster." He added a few dashes of a glittery white powder and a puff of smoke rose from the flask as the liquid inside turned green.

It didn't give Bunny a whole lot of confidence in the potion. He wouldn't complain, were it to actually help, but that stuff didn't look safe. "Ya  _sure_  ya know what ye're doin'? Ah don't want what little fur yaleft me fallin' out."

"Do not worry so much!" North said dismissively, as he handed the flask to Bunny. "Here. Drink!"

Jack could see Bunny was hesitant to take it - heck he would be too! He nudged Bunnymund's arm as he held the bottle up to his nose and joked, "If that doesn't turn you into an elf, I don't knowwhat will."

Sniffing at it experimentally, Bunny muttered, "Betta not." It seemed safe enough, so he toasted North with a half-hearted, "Cheers!" and downed the contents in one go. For a few tense moments, he waited, but nothing untoward happened. "Ah don't _feel_  any different," he told North.

"Give it time," Nicholas replied, stroking the rabbit's head as though he were a pet and earning himself a scowl. Retrieving Bunny's bandolier, in which he'd stuffed his bracers and foot wraps, from the cabinet nearest the door, he held it out with the command, "Now, off to bed, you two."

Rolling his eyes, Aster motioned for Jack to follow him. "C'mon, Mate," he grumbled as he snatched his things from North and started for the door, "Guests rooms're this way."

"I  _know_  where the guest rooms are," Jack said pointedly. He had been using one just that afternoon when Bunny was sleeping in the infirmary. Of course, that was before he had that nightmare. It begged the question, though... Why was North insisting that Bunny  _take_  him there when he knew that Jack didn't  _need_  a guide?

"Remember!  _Behave_ yourselves!" North called after them, unable to resist one last joke at their expense.

Bunny made a show of stormingdown the hallway just to be certain it was clear to North that he was NOT amused. The fact that he was  _able_ to storm down the hall didn't escape him, but he was too annoyed to care that the potion was already helping. He was beginning to think North actually  _wanted_ them to do something 'naughty'. Was he trying to make up for spying on them earlier? Did he think Bunny needed  _help_  getting Jack into bed with him? It felt like that was the case, however one could never tell with Nick. He mightgenuinely just be having fun with them, but was serious about them not 'fooling around'. It didn't matter, since Aster didn't think he  _could_  fool around tonight anyway, though he couldn't help speculating.

Grabbing his staff and following the Pooka, Jack quickly caught up with him. He traipsed along casually at his side, having no trouble keeping up despite the Pooka's hurried pace and much longer stride, although not flying for fear of losing his foolishly over-large pants."He's just teasing you know," Jack reminded Bunny, jabbing an elbow into his arm when he seemed to not be paying attention. "Me too. I mean, you know he's not  _really_  going to watch us again…"

At this point, Bunnymund began to lose his carefully cultivated 'grr face', the corners of his mouth twitching upward. He was in far too good a mood to be all thatangry, but he  _did_  have a reputation to keep. A sparkle of merriment dancing in his eyes, he asked, "Can you  _believe_  him?! Of all the drongo, boofheaded…" He shook his head with a light chuckle as he walked, stride much more casual now.

As soon as they rounded the corner, the teen darted in front of Bunny and he nearly tripped over himself trying not to trip over Jack. "Mate, are ya  _tryin'_  ta get flattened?!" he grumbled, but then the frost sprite slipped his hands around the paws of his companion and Bunny couldn't help but smile down at him, the expression soft. One might even say 'adoring'. Once he had a grip on those paws, Jack arched his back so that his still-bare chest was pressed into the soft fur of Bunny's front. "See? No one is watching you do anything."

The Easter Bunny closed his eyes and sighed contentedly as Jack leaned against him, paws withdrawing from his hands and moving up of their own accord to rest at his shoulder blades. "Ah know E's not," he admitted, "One thing about North… If 'e swears 'e won't do somethin', 'e  _won't_ do it."

Jack leaned back away from Bunny, who was more than a little disappointed that he'd backed off as quickly as he'd come on, and huffed, "So… guest rooms?" The teen was not at all fond of the idea of sleeping alone again. He wasn't fond of sleeping at all, but he'd been plagued by nightmares earlier… and that made him  _doubly_ uncertain about it.

"Ya ok there, Mate?" Bunny asked. His somewhat crestfallen expression told him that something about going to the guest room was bothering Jack, but he couldn't quite put a finger on what it may be. Then Jack directed his vision to the floor and asked, "Are you, uh... Are you gonna… sleepalone..?"

That cleared up the mystery quite nicely.

Having nowhere to tuck his hands, Jack clenched and unclenched them awkwardly in the ensuing silence as he waited for Bunny to answer him. Thankfully, he didn't have long to wait.

With a shrug of his shoulders and mock nonchalance, Bunny teased, "Oh,  _Ah dunno_. Ah mean, Ah usually  _do_  sleep all by mah onesies.  _Although..,_ " he continued, turning his eyes to the ceiling and then rounding them back to rest on Jack. "Ah s'pose if a  _certain someone_ wanted ta keep me company, Ah wouldn't  _complain_." With a downward tilt of his head, Bunnymund peered at his intended from the tops of his eyes, eyebrows arching suggestively. He held his paw out to Jack and said invitationally, "C'mon, Snowflake. Ah think we've  _both_ earned a rest."

They continued down the hallway to the lifts and climbed in to reach the next floor down. As they descended, so too did Bunny's eyes. Beginning at Jack's face, he took in the tantalizingly exposed muscle that he knew would be covered once again come morning with longing. His sight came to rest on the belt holding those comical pants up and the image of himself removing the over-sized garment once they reached their destination entered his mind.

As the lift came to a stop, he mentally slapped himself.  _Time ta stop undressin' 'im with yer eyes, Aster…_  he chastised his own brain. It would not do to get himself all excited when he was not fit to do anything about it. Then again, he realized, he was feeling considerably stronger. Not quite back to normal, but certainly a vast improvement. That didn't mean he was well enough to 'fool around', though. So it was with the intent to simply sleep together, honestly just _sleep_ , that Bunnymund led Jack down a short hall to one of the Pole's many guest rooms. Opening the door for Jack, he said, "You're room, your lordship!" in an exaggerated British butler voice, bowing dramatically as he did so.

Jack snorted at Bunny's gesture. "Why,  _thank you_ , m'dear Sir!" he joked in return, and strolled through the door.

Watching from across the globe hall, North chuckled to himself. He hadn't  _meant_  to spy on them. He'd only intended to aid the yetis in cleaning the blood from Bunny's fur and was en route to do just that, when he'd spotted Bunny and Jack. He was on the same level as them and could just barely make out Bunny, puckishly holding the door for Jack at the end of the opposing hall. It made him happy to see his ancient friend, _finally_ , for the first time since he'd known him, able to make jokes that had nothing to do with his competitiveness. Maybe  _this_ was just what Bunny needed. Maybe... _just maybe_ , Jack would be the balm that could heal a centuries-old wound. That thought in mind, he turned and continued on his way, a knowing smile gracing his lips.

The guest room was more than adequate for two people. It had a huge opulently carved four-poster bed that they could easily share - flanked by two end tables with lamps perched on top of them, a little sitting area with a fireplace, and a dresser. Jack waited for Bunny to follow, then closed the door behind him, deposited his staff against the wall next to it and tugged the Pooka towards the bed.

With a throaty chuckle, Bunny followed gladly, more than happy to accommodate his young Mate by settling onto the mattress beside him. A bright smile came over Jack's face and he reached out to Bunny, trailing his fingertips over the cropped fur of his chest. "Kinda got _interrupted_ earlier, huh?" he spoke softly, in reference to Tooth's untimely arrival at the sitting room a short while ago.

Though Jack didn't really think his next move was appropriate, he did it anyway. He just… wanted to. He  _almost_ asked permission first but, really, who does that when it's someone they're dating? No, he just leaned forward and pressed his lips against Bunny's like it was the most natural thing in the world and, though Bunny had tried desperately not to let Jack's  _beautiful_ eyes, his  _body_ , his scent, touch, voice - his  _words_  - excite him, all bets were off when Jack's lips contacted his own. He moaned, deep and needy, into Jack's mouth as he slipped his arms around the frost sprite and kissed him back. Meanwhile his brain was  _screaming_  at him to stop while half his body, the half that was still  _aching_  and weary from his recent dance with death, agreed with it. However, the part of him which had been so long denied its most primal of needs told _both_ in no uncertain terms to  _shut up!_

The sprite should have stopped there, should have counted his blessings for being allowed that kiss… but Jack Frost was never that easily satisfied, was he? He reached around the rabbit's neck and lowered his mouth slightly, so that he could oh-so-playfully nip on his lower lip, pulling a grunt of surprise from Bunny. He attempted to return the favor, but could only groan in disappointment when Jack leaned his head away slowly, tugging that lip with his own when he did and eventually letting it go with a soft 'pop'.

Jack slipped free of Bunny's embrace and pulled his legs up onto the bed, crossing them and causing Bunny's eyes to become  _glued_  to the overly fabric laden apex of his thighs. Everything was imagination for now, considering one wouldn't know it if the teen were hiding a Buick in there, what with all the folds and tented places that hid any detail. Luckily, or perhapsunluckily, for Bunny he had a  _very_ good imagination. It only brought his desires to an even morefocused point. He snapped out of this trance of sorts as he became aware that Jack was speaking again. "So…" Jack said with a casual air that belied the intensity of their pursuits a moment ago. "..you're all worried about me, are you?" He smirked, having seen the direction Bunny's eyes had just been pointed in. "You know… this may be my egotalking, but I'm pretty flattered," he informed Bunny, only half-referencing Bunny's worry for him now.

Mirroring Jack's smirk, the Pooka replied, "You  _should_  be," and lifted his gaze to find Jack was grinning at him in a rather seductive manner. Jack couldn't help himself. He wanted to push just alittle further - to spark the emotions Bunny felt in the sitting room earlier, even though he knew that he _sh_ _ouldn't_. As much as Jack wished he could get lost in the raw passion that came with two people who desperately wanted each other for so long finally having just that, he wasn't certain that Bunny was well enough for such things just yet. So, with Bunny watching him  _very_  closely, he just flopped himself on his back, head landing on the pillow, and closed his eyes. "Everything'll be fine, though. We'll have this fixed by Easter." Opening his eyes then, he admired the vaulted ceiling while he swore, "I won't let Easter be ruined again. I promise."

And then his vision was filled up with grey and white fur and intense emerald eyes and Jack had to swallow a nervous laugh. He didn't know it yet, but he had already sparked the emotions he had been both wanting to - and trying to avoid - setting off. Lust was heavy in his half-lidded eyes and the measured breaths Bunny took as he stared down at the only person in his world at that moment. "Right now Easter is the  _last_ thing on my mind...  ** _Mate,"_** he purred suggestively, then quickly silenced any forthcoming protests with the lip lockdown of a bruising kiss.


	15. In Which Recollection of a Long-forgotten Memory Could Have Saved Jack Some Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is Bunny really planning what Jack thinks he is and, if so, is he capable of it so soon after recovering? Bunny certainly doesn't seem to be worried, but perhaps Jack should be - and not just about Bunny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- NC-17 / NFSW WARNING!! This chapter begins perhaps the longest sex scene I have ever written! If this isn't your thing, you may wish to wait for chapter 18, when things have returned to SFW. (Yes, the sex scene is that long.)
> 
> \- About my use of the word "exotic": It has come to my attention that this word can be offensive to some. As a show of respect to anyone who may take the word negatively, I just want to say that I only use it to mean "different, but in a good way" or "Alien beauty". It's meant strictly as a compliment. That is the only way I have ever used that word. It is unfortunate that it has developed a negative connotation in some places because of the unjust acts of others. I hope you will take the word the way I mean it and find no insult in it as none is intended.

 

* * *

Now this was a surprising turn of events. True, Jack had kissed Bunny first and he  _had_  been fanning the already searing flame with that come-hither stare, but he hadn't supposed that the Pooka would respond with all the sensuality of a prowling cat, coupled with the desperate force of a millennia of need. Hadn't he nearly collapsed not twenty minutes ago? How did he have the strength to... then Jack found his mouth invaded and with it came a funny taste - somehow both bitter and sweet - like a failed attempt to make cough syrup palatable - that hadn't been there the last time this tongue dared explore beyond his lips.  _North's potion._  It  _had_  to be. But his suitor had only taken that potion scant minutes ago - did it really work so  _fast?_

Jack considered breaking off the kiss - but he was failing to find reason to do so. Bunny knew his own boundaries, didn’t he? He wouldn't be doing this if he wasn't feeling well enough, right? Besides, it was just a kiss. A very heated -  _paw sliding beneath his back_ \- and insistent -  _knee levering his legs apart_ \- kiss. Jack's mind was a jumble of attempted thoughts, overriding sensations and irresistible impulses - leaving him with only vague impressions of doubt and instinct to go on as his back arched sharply to force contact between their bodies.

There are times when even the most spent body can do  _amazing_  things. Times when emotion supersedes all else and one can ignore pain and weakness to force themselves into action, fueling the muscles into feats they should not be capable of... This was one of those times.

The hormones rolling off of the youngest Guardian in waves were heady - impossible to ignore - and Bunny’s instincts were answering that siren call, his own hormones clearly in overdrive. It was because his rut was coming up. There was no other explanation. Nothing else had ever made him lose himself like this. Worse, it hadn't made him feel this way since Lyra, so he was no longer used to dealing with these particular instincts.

Bunny continued to savage Jack's mouth, the scent an aphrodisiac stripping away the last vestiges of his control entirely. Every little thing about Jack was setting him off. Aster wondered if he knew what he was doing to him by inclining against him like that - how the touch of his chest caused the fur it pressed against to shift in  _just_ the right way, how  _exciting_  the cool mint of his mouth, how the moan issuing from that perfect, unmarked throat  _thrilled_ him... heightening his already soaring arousal. That throat would not remain unmarked for long.

And this time there was no one to interrupt. Jack pressed their bodies flush together again and lightly raked his fingers through the fur on Bunny's back. The blunt nails scraping at his skin sent a shiver running through his body, but something about the touch caused him to pull back. There had been a hint of hesitation to it, like it had been instinctive and unpracticed. He panted down at this young yet old man who was eighteen plus three hundred and wondered if this might be his first time. He considered asking him, but thought better of it. There was no quicker way to end a good root than to suggest that your partner might be less than experienced.

 _Had_  Bunny asked, the answer would have been 'yes' - this  _was_  his first foray into sex of any kind. He'd been alone almost as long as he'd been alive, after all - and the only person he could remember ever having that kind of an interest in was presently studying him curiously from an imposing position atop his chest. He certainly wouldn't have been able to recall having done it in his  _past_  life, since his only memories of that life came from a time when he was too young for such things, so it was possible that he simply didn't remember. Either way, he felt like a virgin - however he didn't have to let  _Bunny_  know that. Virgin he may be - shy, he was not.

Now that his mouth was no longer occupied, Jack smirked impishly at Bunny. “You’re being sort of implicative with the word ‘Mate’..,” he taunted him, still playing with the fur at the back of his neck. He wondered if he was really qualified to be called that. A Mate. Was that term reserved for someone who had intimate relations with a Pooka? Someone who followed a ceremony? Or was this - this relationship they now shared - enough?

An amused chortle bubbled up from Aster's lungs. "Look who's talkin' Frostbite! ' _Kinda got interrupted earlier, huh?'_  Sound familiar?" he teased in return, his slightly labored breathing prompting Jack to whisper, "We shouldn't be doing this."

"Oh?" Bunny languidly traced a thumb claw along Jack's jaw line and hummed curiously, "An' why's that?"

“You’re still heali…” It was a weak protest. One which seized in Jack's throat as Bunny lowered himself to lay on top of him and found he was rewarded with a  _certain something_  poking him in the leg. Bushy eyebrows went leaping for the clouds and Bunny chuckled again at Jack's feeble dispute, particularly in light of his discovery. "Mate, Ah don't think  _'little Jack_ ' cares," Bunnymund pointed out, wondering at the same time if Jack was aware that 'Little Bunny' was obviously in  _complete_ agreement.

About eighty comebacks came to Jack's mind, but they were lost to him as Bunny's paw entangled in strands of spiky white and he again attacked his mouth with more of those kisses. Kisses that were making him breathy, kisses that were making his lips feel swollen and causing the purplish blush from his face to spread down his neck.

As he met him kiss for kiss, the other furry hand found its way to the buckle of Jack's belt and began deftly undoing it. It was a dangerous game Aster now played. They really  _shouldn't_  be doing this. He  _was_  still weak and he  _was_ in pain. One would think he would know his limits and, in all honesty, he  _did_. He also knew he was going to  _exceed_ those limits if things didn't come to a screeching halt, but he was beyond caring. There was a  _desperation_ to the way he crushed Jack's lips with his own. It had been so impossibly long since he'd had a chance like this and Jack was leaving tomorrow morning. If he didn't come back...  _Don't think about that, Aster._

Jack realized now that Bunny intended this to go  _further_  than kissing. The jingling of the buckle, the strained leather giving in - releasing all that fabric from its tenuous hold. The Pooka really wasn't stopping and, though he didn't think Bunny should be doing this so soon, like Bunny, Jack could hardly resist responding to the fervent touches which repeatedly demanded his attention. Three hundred years was a very _long_ time to not have had sex. Not nearly so long as Bunny had been celibate, but  _all three hundred_  of those years, he had been trapped in the body of a _teenaged male._ One who could not even be seen, let alone touched. MiM, did he want to be touched.

As Bunny gripped the loosened waistband of those ridiculous pants, dragging them down to waist level, Jack's hand boldly began questing for his most sensitive extremity, pressing into the fur and teasing one line of pebble-hard nipples en route. "Clothes are stupid," Jack murmured in appreciation of Bunny's nudist tendencies as chilled digits trailed through dense fur, causing the alien's heart to quicken. As they moved down his belly, his breath joined the dance; as they found his hot, rigid flesh - both  _stopped_.

Jack's disappointment was palpable when Bunnymund promptly broke contact and, rolling off of him, sat on folded legs beside his hip. The Pooka was impressed at the confidence with which his new Mate moved despite his inexperience, but there was something he needed to be sure of before he could allow either of them to continue in their conquest. Though he was feeling oddly shy, now that he sat there with his fully erect penis in plain sight, he gave the frost sprite a reassuring look to allay any fears his actions may have produced. With a throat-clearing cough, he explained, "Ah just wanna make sure ya know  _exactly_  what ye're gettin' inta... b'fore  _it_ gets  _inta_  you," eyebrows jerking suggestively skyward. He then perched high up on his knees, displaying for Jack the  _it'_ he had been referencing.

Bunny’s word choice settled everything. Jack knew with certainty what the buck before him wanted to do and, considering the way his  _own_ erection twitched upon seeing him in all his exposed glory, his body was not arguing. Aster felt a swell of pride as Jack stared at his groin. He didn’t mean to stare, but the anticipation of being entered by _that_  was at once both exciting and terrifying. While normally kept hidden within his body in a slit beneath the fur of his lower abdomen, right now Bunny's cock was standing at attention, with a good seven inches of it exposed above its furry sheath. The sheath added another inch to where it attached, about a hand's width higher on his body than a human's penis would normally be located. It was deep rose in color, gently curved and tapered, the thumb-thick tip not nearly as intimidating as the base, which was by far as wide as his own wrist was across. Bunny's testicles appeared as oblong bulges under the fur to the left and right of his penis's base and were just as hide-able as it was. Not that Bunny was hiding either at the moment.

"So... ya still  _up_ for it?" he asked, smirking.

“I know what I’m getting into,” Jack promised, clearly having no intention of hiding his endowments either, as he slid out of North's oversized pants and copied the Pooka's pose, showing himself off just as readily. Jack's tool was impressive for a human, Bunny had to admit. His imagination hadn't pictured it to be quite that large. Though it was a little thinner than the base of his own - and slightly shorter - the whole length was like that. A shiver skittered across Bunny's skin as he considered the challenge it would present, should Jack ever decide to top.

Eyes deviating from the teen's manhood, Aster visually  _devoured_  every inch of exposed skin as he sat back to take in the treasure now exposed to him. Jack was thin, no question about that, but his muscles were coiled around his narrow frame like thick cables. Tight, toned and  _deliciously_  tempting. Tongue darting out from between his lips in appreciation, Bunny sucked in a breath. “ _Crikey_ ,” he sighed on the exhale. He had often pictured what Jack would look like without any garments, but this blew his best wet dreams out of the water. So  _not_ Pooka, yet so beautiful. Silently, he thanked MiM for bringing him this amazing specimen.

"Well? What do you think?" Jack asked, before knee-walking across the bed till he was all but crawling on top of Bunny. The move surprised the Pooka to the point that he very nearly toppled over backwards. Then Jack rocked his hips forward and Bunnymund shuddered at the unexpected feeling of their arousals bumping together, causing his desire to twist and coil tighter than ever.

“Do _you_ know what  _you’re_ getting into?” Jack challenged playfully.

He seemed to be developing a knack for driving Aster crazy. He wanted this - wanted  _him -_ more than anything, and now Jack  _dared_  provoke him? Reaching down, he slipped a paw over his own erection, while using the other to grip Jack's chin.

"Ah'm thinkin' maybe Ah need ta give ya somethin' ta do with that mouth other than make smart-ass remarks," he drawled, giving him another quick kiss. Then he scooted backwards and guided Jack's head down toward that part he'd been so keen on touching a moment ago. Bunny hoped to MiM that Jack knew what he was getting at, because he  _really_  didn't want to have to explain the mechanics of it and make his Mate feel inadequate. Regardless, if they were going to go all the way with this tonight, he was going to need some lubricating.

Fortunately, while Jack  _was_ a virgin, he wasn't an idiot. He  _did_ know what he was supposed to do in such a position. He'd seen enough sex in movies - sneaking into the theatre an easy feat when no one can see you - to get the general idea. Of course, he  _also_ had no experience with it, but how hard could it be? A swirl of nervousness ran through his stomach anyway as he was faced with the daunting member presented to him. Was there a  _wrong_  way to do this? Not likely - unless you bit down - but Jack knew better than to do something stupid like that. He chanced a quick look at Bunny's eyes, finding them gazing expectantly back at him - glazed and half-lidded with lust - then swallowed his nerves and, pushing all thoughts from his mind, focused on fulfilling the implied demand.

The instant Jack's lips brushed the tip of his shaft, Bunny went  _rigid_ , a thrill of pleasure running through his body. Jack was doing it. He was  _actually_  going to... Without another second's hesitation Jack pushed his mouth forward and over the engorged rod... and Aster's mind went  _blank_. He gasped, hips jerking, as Jack enshrouded as much of him as he could fit. The teen had to suppress a gag when the end of Bunny's cock slipped past his tonsils - and this was only  _half_ of it! It was going to take him some time to work up to deep-throating such a thing.

Not that Bunny seemed to mind. "Unh...  _Jack_ ," he groaned, head lolling back. Jack, it seemed, was a natural at this. It was all instinct - things that Jack assumed would feel good. A gentle suck and the Pooka jerked again, a bob of his head triggered another. Trailing his tongue along Bunny’s erection as he lifted his head again brought a ragged groan and fingers tangling in his hair. A whimper of a moan spilled over his lips. He’d never met this side of Bunny before, but he was already learning to  _love_ it.

Aster was _so_ hyper-sensitive that every single movement Jack made sent electric shivers through him. "Do that again, Mate..." he breathed lustily, pushing gently to encourage a repeat performance. The push was sexual, it was  _needy_  - but Jack wasn’t quite sure  _which_  action Bunny wanted repeated - so he repeated all of it, adding suction to the bob of his head and taking just a little more of Bunny than he previously had into his mouth.

For someone who'd never done this before, Jack was  _amazing!_ Hell, he would have still been amazing if all this was old hat for the frost sprite, but his inexperience made it even  _more_  so. Bunny's breaths were becoming shorter as his pleasure mounted. The slight chill of Jack's mouth on him was so unfamiliar - so  _exotic_  - and he liked it. "Jack, Mate... mmm..." He wanted more. So  _much_ more... but the way Jack was folded over...  "Don't stop, Mate... Just... let me..." and he used his feet to ease Jack's legs out from under him so that he was laying on his stomach with his chest between the rabbit's legs. "There ya go... That's more comfortable.., yeah?" Bunny panted as he set himself to rubbing Jack's shoulder with one paw while the other remained in his hair, holding on for dear life.

If Bunny wanted an answer, he wasn't getting one - not with Jack's mouth otherwise occupied - but he was right. Flat on his stomach  _was_  considerably more comfortable, although now Bunny's feet were gripping his waist and, with every moan that came from the Pooka, he was squeezed and pressed down into the blankets. Jack was  _proud_  of himself.  _He_  was causing Bunny to make those sounds - to do those things - no one else. Jack Frost was responsible for that whimper. It was Jack who caused that twitch. He alone was turning the last of the Pooka - one of the oldest beings in the  _universe_ \- into a mewling mess with his unpracticed ministrations. And no other  _ever_  would.

Hips continuing to jerk reflexively, Aster was now having a hard time resisting the urge to just  _fuck_  Jack's throat till his body got what it wanted. He had more respect for Jack than that, though - and besides, there was  _another_  place he was reserving that white filling for. So he instead slid the paw in Jack's hair down to his hand and brought it up to the part of his length that had so far been neglected, wrapping Jack's fingers around it. Keeping his paw over Jack's hand, he began to pump in time to the bobbing of his head. "Ungh... Just like this, Mate... hunh.. hunh _._. Keep it up. Oh...  _fuck, yeah_..."

Jack did as he was instructed at first, but only at first. About ten strokes in, he removed his hand from the base of Bunny's shaft, evoking a whimpered, "Nnnnn...  _Jaa-ack_..." by doing so. Aster had only _just_  gotten attention that area and now it was gone. He needn't have worried - Jack knew what to do to please his Mate. He proved it handily by wrapping his thin, yet strong arms around him to force nearly all of his member into that magic mouth, replacing the disappointment with gratification.

"Oh,  _MIM!"_  Aster purred, paws snapping to the mattress and fingers curling the sheets into knots beneath them. The feel of his donger surrounded by the cool yet somehow warm tunnel of Jack's throat - the walls squeezing him - stroking him - pulled passionate sounds from his mouth.

Sounds which spurred Jack on. It was easier to build confidence and take in more of Bunny's length when he made beautiful noises like that. At first Jack gagged, but by consciously relaxing his throat and breathing through his nose, he found he was able to handle it. In his eager haze, Jack's fingers curled claw-like and raked over the skin of his lover's lower back and Aster was struck by how animalistic the once-human teen could be. He didn't get to dwell on it long, though, as Jack's explorations reached a  _particular_ spot just above the base of his tail - extracting a sharp gasp from the Pooka - hips jerking so hard that his rear came up off the bed, lifting a  _thoroughly_  shocked Jack with it. The sprite was forced to abruptly release him. Choking and startled, Jack supported himself on shaky arms and tried to catch his breath.

Concern etched itself into Bunny's features. "You 'right, Mate?" he asked, afraid that he'd hurt him. He certainly hadn't  _meant_  to thrust like that, but he hadn't expected Jack to claw at another erogenous zone either.  _How does 'e keep findin' those?_  he wondered.

When he could stop coughing long enough, Jack reassured the worry-wart rabbit, "I'm fine. Just.. give me a sec." It was more like thirty seconds - but he managed to calm himself from the effects of that buck, at which point he laid himself back over the fuzzy hips, going right for that  _same_  spot again, a devious smile stretching his lips askew.

Bunny wasted no time in reaching back to steer that hand away, warning between gasps, "Keep  _that_  up, Mate... an' Ah'm not gonna make it... ta the main event."

“Bunny..,” Jack murmured huskily, and then extracted his hand from Bunny's to defiantly continue the attack. Who really cared if he didn’t make it to the ‘ _main event’_? Jack was just thrilled to be pleasing him at all.

"Jack... Mate... Hold on..." Did he  _want_  this to be as far as they went? "Ya don' wanna..." Gentle, ghost-like pressure - "Jack! I can't..." - nails  _pricking_ at every nerve; Another attempt to remove the hand - another attempt rebuffed, this time with the  _sharp_  sting of frost biting into a rabbit wrist. Was he a glutton for punishment? "Ow!  _Frost!_ Ah oughtta.. Oh, _gods!"_  Bunny arched off the bed again, much more slowly this time, as Jack rubbed the sensitive skin, making him  _squirm_  and grip the sheets tighter, claws sinking into the mattress. He probably could have held out with just that, now that it wasn't a surprise, but Jack wasn't happy with  _just that_. Perhaps he _liked_ being stabbed in the esophagus, for he lowered his mouth over the head of Bunny's penis and  _sucked_  on it as though it were a popsicle. The combination was just too much.  _"DAMN IT!!!"_  That was it. Jack had done it now. "AUGHHHHHH!!!!" With a strangled cry, Bunnymund sprayed a sticky white mess into Jack's mouth and all over his face and bangs.

Jack reeled back and scrunched his eyes shut. He was  _stunned_. The taste that flooded his mouth was not by any means his favorite. A musky mix of chocolate, salt and a hint of olives. It could've done  _without_  the olives. When he was pretty sure the barrage was over, he cracked open one eye, and produced an amused half smirk, half laugh. Victory was his.

Panting heavily, the Pooka gave Jack a look that was apologetic at first, then quirked into a grin. To look at him, one might've thought the kid had gotten in a fight with North's icing mixer, except it was not _icing_ which presently dripped from his nose, chin and hair.

Aster rolled onto his knees, helping poor Jack up with him and said, "Heh. Sorry, Snowflake. Should'a listened when Ah told ya ta stop."

“It’s okay,” Jack chuckled, shifting into a more comfortable sitting position.

Lifting one of Jack's hands to his mouth, Bunny kissed the knuckles softly. "Don' worry, though..." and he kissed Jack's arm near his elbow, "Ah'm gonna get ya cleaned up." Jack would have expected a towel or something to be involved, but Bunnymund didn't go for a towel - nor did he make a move to get water for Jack... what he  _did_  do was to lean in close and  _LICK_  the cum from the end of the shocked teen's nose. And he didn't stop there. Taking Jack's head in his paws, he  _slowly_ ,  _sensually_ , began to wash every last drop or smudge of cum from Jack's face with his semi-rough tongue, dropping tender kisses onto each spot he groomed.

Jack wouldn’t have anticipated that it would be sensual, to have that textured tongue trailing over his face. It felt weird at first, but the  _kisses_  - the lingering  _drag_  of each pass - and Bunny's slow, panting breaths made it clear that this was  _more_  than just a bath. “That’s kind of...” he began, unsure how best to describe the experience. A beat later, he settled on the accurate, albeit  _totally_  immature word, “…hot.”

"Mmmm... Ah'm not done yet," Bunny purred against Jack's eyebrow.  He licked his forehead, his cheeks, spent a few minutes on his hair alone. All the while, he seemed to be studiously _avoiding_  the young man's mouth as he went about his work, dodging Jack's every attempt to turn it into a kiss. When all else but his chin and mouth had been lathed clean, Aster moved to his Adam's apple. He traced one long hedonistic path from that protrusion up the front of his Mate's throat, along the underside of his chin...

“Ahh…  _Bunny!!_ ” Jack moaned, lost to the stimulation - lost to  _Bunny_.

Then pressure against Jack's lips forced them open and Bunny's tongue delved deep into the farthest reaches of his mouth, taking in and swallowing any little bit of cum he came across. Finally rewarded with the kiss he desired - encroaching tongue swimming in his mouth - Jack refused to let it be just for grooming. As Bunny explored every canine, every molar, every tooth - along with the rest of his mouth - in search of the gamey substance, Jack engrossed himself in letting his own tongue collide against Bunny’s. Loving the texture, the heat, even the  _taste_ of it in his mouth and hanging off of strong shoulders as though he couldn’t hold himself up. By the time the rabbit-man was done, Jack was clean and  _Little Bunny_ was ready for round two.

That was about the time Jack recalled his accidental  _discovery_  earlier that day and immediately one of his hands reached up - then the other - to rub at the base of Bunny's ears… this time very much on purpose. Bunny immediately began to  _melt_  into his touch, eyes rolling back and lids fluttering closed. He leaned into Jack's hands, his own gripping Jack's shoulders now. This was absolute  _bliss_.

It only lasted about ten seconds, however, as the Pooka suddenly  _growled_ and shoved Jack roughly away to land at the head end of the bed with an astonished yelp. " _Naughty naughty,_ " Bunny teasingly chided Jack. Having cum once already, his nerves were on fire from Jack's touch and the last thing he wanted right now was Jack causing him to make another mess to clean up, but that was no excuse. There was one other, much more sinister seeming reason for that reaction. His orgasm had  _also_  caused the release of specialized hormones from the very place Jack had been rubbing. Hormones which would only be produced  _now_. This  _one time_  in their relationship. Because of these hormones, something vaguely familiar, and somewhat  _unnerving_ , was beginning to take hold of the Pooka.

This was their first mating and Aster had forgotten -  _actually forgotten_ \- about this part. The last time he had experienced it was his first mating with Lyra. She had  _known_ it was coming. Jack didn't. He should have remembered, he should have  _warned_ Jack so they could have been prepared. Now Jack would have  _no idea_  what was going on and Bunny couldn't really help him till the hormones' purpose was satisfied so he could think clearly again. This was Pooka courting. This was instinctive. This was  _domination_. If Jack wanted to be equal to Bunny, he was going to have to prove now that he was  _also_  equal to the task.

Mind clouding as though drugged, Bunnymund flashed a _wicked_  grin and stalked toward Jack on all fours, an amorous and almost predatory glint in his eye. "See  _Mate_ , Ah'm not gonna let ya get away with that twice in one night," he told him, referring to Jack causing him to lose control of his orgasm. Now he was losing control in a whole  _different_  way. He crouched and, lightning fast, he was back on top of Jack, pouncing him into the mattress and pinning him there. "Ya wanna play with ma ears, ye're gonna have ta _earn_ it."


	16. In Which Being of Two Minds is Twice as Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joining. It's a simple word which can mean many things, so what does this word mean to Bunny? How are his ears involved? And just what exactly is 'full-blown Pooka sex'?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- NC-17 / NFSW WARNING! This is the second chapter of perhaps the longest sex scene I have ever written! If this isn't your thing, you may wish to wait for chapter 18, when things have returned to SFW. (Yes, the sex scene is that long.)
> 
> \- This chapter involves: sort-of - almost Non-con (Don't worry, I wasn't that cruel... this time.), biting and blood.

 

* * *

 

It hit Aster like a boomerang to the back of the head. One moment he was enjoying the feel of Jack massaging his ears, the next... he was out of control. It was as though his conscious mind was plowed aside in that instant before he shoved Jack. On some level, Bunny _knew_ what he was doing - heard what he was _saying_ \- but there was a short-circuit somewhere between his self-control and his muscle control. The hormones taking over his system flung him into a state like being heavily drunk or on mind-altering drugs. They _were_ a mind-altering drug - and he was helpless to stop himself.

Jack was more than a little shocked. That shove. So sudden, so _violent_. An enraged rhino in a library couldn't have been more combative and out of place. Hadn't the ear rub felt good? Why would his bedmate stop him from bringing him pleasure? Wasn't that the whole _point_ of this? " _Bunny?_ " he asked, voice laced with confusion and the taint of fear at being pinned to the sheets in such a way. Normally, it would excite him, but something felt _off_ about this. About Bunny himself.

At least Bunnymund was still able to speak, small comfort that fact was, what with his words, a threat in and of themselves. Jack was confused as to why he had to _earn_ the right to play with Bunny's ears. He was his boyfriend, wasn't he? Didn't _that_ give him the right? Jack was on the verge of lashing out in retaliation, but then Bunny purred seductively - sounding for all the world like an overgrown kitten - and nuzzled his cheek, untracking him. The ensnared teen let out a snort of laughter and tucked the side of his face to his shoulder to block the marauding whiskered muzzle. "Bunny..! Stop that! That tickles!"

 _What'm Ah doin?_ Bunny wondered, mind a fog of lust, aggression and the need to dominate - thoughts lethargic and disjointed. He tried to stop the growl which rumbled low in his throat, - _No... Not like this... -_ and the forceful rutting against Jack's belly. None of it felt right. This wasn't what he wanted. He wuffled at the opposite cheek and Jack pushed feebly against his chest, laughing too hard to put any oomph behind it. _Jack, don't just lay there laughin'! Stop me!_ Bunnymund thought-begged, but the link was closed; Jack couldn't hear him and he wasn't presently driving this train.

"Are you _ok_ , Cottontail?" - Uneasy words which rose to ears his own, but not.

"Think ya oughtta be more worried 'bout yerself," Bunny drawled, the tone of his voice becoming more guttural as he pressed his nose tighter to Jack's skin, hips pivoting forward again. His world was spinning, he was falling... and now he recalled why. _The joinin'! How did Ah forget about the joinin'?!_

That voice... Was that _really_ Bunny? Pushing the amorous rabbit's head away enough to make eye contact, Jack swallowed. His _eyes_ \- what was wrong with his eyes? They were darker; dilated till almost no color remained at their edges, and narrowed so that most of the white was hidden. Very little of the brilliant intellect which normally shown from those eyes remained - replaced with something more _alien_ to him than Bunny had _ever_ been. It made him appear so much more the animal. Perhaps even a little _dangerous_. A fact which was not helped by the unsettling grin which bared his teeth in such a feral way, giving Jack the feeling that he was little more than _fresh meat_.

Jack prayed to whatever Gods were listening that this was a temporary change. He knew nothing of Pooka courting or mating or, well, anything in general. All he knew about the Pooka race was that Bunny _was_ one and they could do that mind meld - _thing_. Maybe...

"This is a Pooka thing, isn't it? Some kind of challenge?"

"Bloody oath, Mate," Bunny confirmed in a drawn out way, as though the words were difficult for him to form. Then - his speech going to a near snarl, "Go ahead an' _try_ ta get me offa ya now!" he challenged, harshly yanking Jack's arms up over his head and attacking his neck with a forceful kiss, lips stretched over an area of muscle much larger than any human could manage. Then, with all the suction of a starving lamprey, he sank his teeth into alabaster flesh, tearing an enraptured gasp from Jack's throat as his body arched both into and away from the pleasing pain, hands and feet scrabbling for purchase in uncooperative bedding.

Expression smug, the hormone addled rabbit-man pulled back to admire his handiwork for a moment, whilst a limp Jack panted beneath him. What he left behind was a bleeding welt, _huge_ and deep red, that contrasted against Jack's skin so brilliantly it was impossible to miss.

"So easy ta do that without the fur in the way," Bunny commented in that not-Bunny voice. The iron odor of blood filled his nose and he breathed it in. Reveling in the scent that, for the moment, was distinctly Jack - reminiscent of an old, rusted tractor enshrouded in a blanket of freshly fallen snow - but then the Pooka licked at the wound, his saliva mixing with and imbuing Jack's bloodstream with his own signature trace of chocolate, earth and Easter lilies. Instinct and the hormones of the joining demanded he do this, despite the fact that there were very few humanoids alive now who could detect that subtle change in blood-scent; let alone know what it meant.

Damn those hormones anyway. Outwardly Bunny appeared for all the world the proud buck having just marked his doe, but inwardly he was becoming frustrated. He couldn't think straight. Couldn't even tell Jack what was expected of him as he now was. Still, Bunny mentally urged, _C'mon Jack! You can figure this out! Ah know ya can!,_ even though it was an exercise in futility. He would just have to hope he was right.

Jack understood he was being tested, but he loved that bite to his neck so much, he almost forgot to struggle. How could so much pain be so intoxicating? Clearing his mind, Jack focused instead on dealing with his current predicament. Bunny had his hands clamped tight, his weight securely restraining him and he was once again rutting against him, lower now - so that he was stabbing at that area of flat skin between Jack's testicles and his virgin hole. How was he supposed earn the right to touch his ears in a position like this? He couldn't even say for a certainty that he knew what that entailed, let alone escape to put any plan toward that end into action.

But there had to be a way. Running down his options, Jack considered trying to make a mad dash to get to his staff , but even if, by some miracle, he managed to outrun the frenzied rabbit, he was still sorely lacking in magic at the moment. Bunny would be back on him in an instant, staff or no. Hesitant to try and overpower Bunny - _Face it, Jack, he's stronger than you -_ his next impulse was to get behind him, grab those ears and hold on for dear life. To do that, however, he would have to free his hands…

He focused on the paws that were pinning him down - the strong, tensed arms holding him in place - and took a deep breath. With what little magic remained in his body, he guided the cold at his command into his Mate's arms, into the bone and muscle controlling them and bid it rapidly drop their temperature - not enough to freeze, but enough to interfere with their function - and Bunny slowly became aware of a stinging pain creeping up his arms. He yelped in surprise, momentarily loosening his hold on the tricky sprite. A valiant effort was made to reaffirm his grip, but his hands were now numb and not obeying him. Swiftly slipping between fuzzy arms so that he was beneath his chest, Jack then rolled right out from under the Easter Bunny - laughing triumphantly all the while.

"Ya drongo larrikin! Get yer ass back here!" the drugged half of him snapped, but the ever-shrinking part that still fought the hormone's effects whooped, _That's Mah boy! Good on ya, Mate!_ It was the last normal thought he would have until Jack either met or lost his challenge. By the time one enfeebled paw groped uselessly for Jack's ankle, Bunny's conscious mind was completely quieted.

It was with ease that Jack dodged his attempted recapture. Hopping lightly out of reach and springing astride his errant pursuer, he reached up and gripped his ears again - TIGHT - then, smirking, taunted, "Got your ears."

Bunny was instantly still. _Bugger!_ he thought, ever so eloquently, as not pleasure, but pain shot through him like lightning. With it came a form of temporary partial paralysis prone to rabbit-form Pooka. He could talk, could still move a little, but his movements were jerky and minimal.

" _Now_ what're you gonna do?" Jack crooned teasingly now that he had Bunny immobilized.

"Damn it! Let go'a mah ears, ya hoon!" came a snarl, as Aster attempted to reach back for his Mate, but it was like having a giant rubber band pinning his arms and he just couldn't make them do what he wanted. They only twitched uselessly. "Ya can't hold onto 'em forever! Ye're gonna wear out soon enough, Mate, and then yer ass is mine!" he vowed, wincing as another jolt of pain shot through him.

Jack scowled at the Pooka. That was _not_ how he wanted his first time having sex to be started off - with the phrase 'yer ass is mine.' Contrary to appearances, however, he _did_ want Bunny to have sex with him. He'd never admit it, but he _wanted_ to be taken, to be dominated... to let Bunny win - just this once. Still, while he wasn't really asking for gentle - he could take a little roughhousing - he _did_ demand respect. "I'm not an object, Cottontail," he cooed into one long, tapered ear.

"Let go'a mah ears an' we'll see about that!" Bunny alluded vehemently. He didn't mean it. He really didn't. He knew Jack was no object. Jack was the most important thing - no, person - in the world to him. He just had no control right now. All he was focused on was that he was horny, the object of his lust was hurting his ears and he wanted to punish him from now until the sun came up.

Bunny's behavior only served to prompt Jack to hold tighter. The owner of the ears he now squeezed so harshly was _clearly_ furious and he knew for certain that letting go now would be a _bad_ idea, if only because Bunny would tear him a new one, maybe _literally_. But, oh, the temptation to just give in was strong. Why did the threat of being taken forcibly by a giant alien rabbit not scare Jack senseless? Rather, it made his whole body sing with lust. How was it that the idea of that rough tongue on his skin - the thought of that fur rubbing sensuously up and down his torso; the anticipation of that huge cock filling him up till he cried out - aroused him so?

Maybe he _should_ just give in? It would be only a matter of time before his stamina gave out and he ended up letting go anyway. Little did he know that in another five minutes, it would all be over, if he could make it that long - having a death grip on the ears of a very large and amorous rabbit, Jack knew fatigue was not far behind. What he did _not_ know was that the tightness of his grip and where he held bore importance. Beneath the fur, skin and sensitive nerve bundles he was all but pinching, the glands that had caused this whole mess were now gradually ceasing hormone production. He had, without any hesitation or knowledge, done the one thing he could to bring Bunny back to himself - without having to somehow overpower and top him.

Had he not been so hormonally irrational just then, Bunny might realize how odd that was. Somehow, even though he was a completely different species, Jack was responding correctly to the challenge. Instinctively, even. Making another - failed - attempt to shake his ears loose, Bunny managed only tiny jerking motions where he'd intended violence. "STRUETH!" he swore in vexation, "Let go, Frost!"

"What's wrong, Bunny-buns," Jack teased, "Can't handle me?"

The randy Pooka growled low in his throat at Jack's insinuation. He could _handle_ him just fine if he could get him off of his goddamn ears! He squirmed and writhed as best he could in Jack's grip, but it wasn't enough to loosen his hold. He was just too limited like this. Maybe a change of tactic was in order? Aggression and threats weren't working. Time to try the pity angle. "What's wrong is mah Mate's hurtin' me an' refusin' ta stop," he said with a tone of mock-hurt. "Ya know how sensitive mah ears are, Jack."

That was true… but Jack's hands remained rooted in place. "Am I _really_ hurting you?" he asked, more curious than concerned.

Bunny almost smirked, but kept it in check lest he clue Jack in to his game. "Crikey, Mate. Yer mother ever box yer ears? _Yes_ , it bloody well hurts!" It wasn't a lie. His ears felt like they were being clamped in a vice and they were beginning to throb from it. How the hell could such a thin guy be so extremely strong? "Would ya let go already! Ah swear, Ah'm not gonna hurt ya!" he promised. At least, that's what he said out loud. In his head, however, he finished with, _...much._

"Yeah. Sorry. I'm not that stupid."

"Coulda fooled me." Right about then, the logical part of Bunny began to regain consciousness and Jack, who had been about to retaliate with his own cutting remark, was baffled when the man he straddled suddenly shouted, "Stop it!" for no apparent reason.

"Bunny?"

"Whatever ya do, Mate, don't let go!" Bunnymund warned.

"So which is it? Let go or don't?" Why would he contradict himself like that? It made no sense.

Only about a minute left to go, but Bunny wasn't completely in control yet. That other him wasn't quite ready to throw in the towel. As such, while wondering if Jack could feel the throbbing in his ears, an idea began taking shape. The punk couldn't keep holding his ears if he knew _exactly_ how excruciating what he was doing actually was, right? Jack wasn't capable of that sort of cruelty, was he? He argued with himself about this next move. One might have found the internal dialogue quite amusing, but in the end, the hormones won and, with a devious hint of a smile, he opened his mind fully to Jack. Not just to his thoughts and emotions, but to his _pain_ as well. He had the presence of mind to keep it one-way, himself to Jack, but it was still a cold trick to play.

"You're talking crazy you know…" Jack began, but he stopped when all at once his vision flashed white and agony washed over him. "What the hell?!" he gasped. It took him a moment to realize just where the pain was coming from and he gaped at the back of Bunny's head. His ears! It hurt - _so much_ \- and for just a second he _almost_ let go. But the warning rang fresh in his mind and he held fast, in spite of the fact that he was now hurting both of them in equal measure. "OW OW OWOWOW! Knock that off, Furball!"

"You first, Mate!"

As the seconds ticked past, Bunny was regaining more and more control. He was arguing audibly with himself now - saying things like, "Want the pain ta stop? Then lemme go! Ah know ya can feel it! Ya know what ye're doin' ta me!" following that up with, "Hang in there, Mate. Ye're doin' fine. Just need a little longer." Then he'd snap, "LET GO, YA DRONGO..." and interrupt himself with, "Sorry. Ah'm sorry. Ah know this's confusin', Ah'm confused too."

Eventually, the ranting abated and Bunnymund stopped struggling. A few moments longer and he let out a heavy sigh and said, "It's okay now, Jack. She's apples. Ya can let go, Mate. It's all over."

"She's apples?" Jack repeated, having absolutely no idea what that meant. He leaned over Bunny's shoulder, using the leverage he had on his ears to turn his head a little, to get a look at his face - his eyes in particular. He _sounded_ normal, albeit tired, but his eyes would tell the tale. Centuries of knowledge and experience stared back at him from brilliant orbs of multi-shaded green, the variations in color twisting like vines finally visible again beyond the ebon center - bestial blankness gone at last. The frost sprite breathed a sigh of his own. It seemed as though Bunny truly had returned from his brief sabbatical in scwoodily-woodily land. Still, this was 'Bunny of the mean right-hook' and he was probably none-too-pleased with his lover at the moment. "If I let go and you hit me… I'll hit back," Jack warned.

"Ah'm not gonna hit ya. No worries," Bunny assured him, knowing Jack could feel his sincerity. He considered closing the one-sided link, but didn't in the end. After all, it wasn't like he was listening in on Jack without permission. Only sharing himself.

It was that sincerity exactly which convinced Jack to release his grip and lower his hands from the abused ears, flicking his wrists to dispel the ache they had developed. Not a moment later, Bunny's hands had replaced his, massaging gently to get the blood circulating again. Of course, now the Pooka had a serious case of pins and needles starting and it itched like crazy. He was about to bring a hind foot up to scratch them, but then Jack lightly trailed his fingernails down his neck and let out a groan, before flopping himself back into the sheets, muttering, "I'm sorry I hurt your ears…"

And Bunny forgot all about them.

Turning around, he idly dragged the tip of one claw up the front of Jack's leg, stretching out alongside him as he did so.

"Snowflake, mah ears're fine. Normally, Ah _like_ it when ya touch 'em," Bunny admitted while running that claw over his hip and up the length of his rib cage. "Right now _ye're_ what Ah'm worried about. Ah didn't hurt ya, did I?"

Jack bent himself into the delightful touch, wanting more. A shiver rippling through him, he answered, "You didn't hurt me," as reassuringly as possible when his voice was little more than a reedy gasp.

Bunny let out the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. It was a relief to hear that he hadn't hurt Jack. He'd heard stories long ago of bad first matings where one of the partners had ended up permanently crippled. Since he couldn't remember much of what he'd done once the hormones kicked in, he'd been worried. What if he'd seriously injured his Mate? He didn't think he could live with himself then.

Things had turned out alright, though. For the most part, anyway. He knew full-well that Jack was bothered by what had just happened. Who could blame him, really? This was all very new to his Mate. Not just in the usual 'first timer' way either. Jack was having to deal with the idiosyncrasies of becoming officially mated to a Pooka. Which meant besting him at a game Pooka have played for millennia, but that Jack had only just been introduced to. The poor guy didn't even know the rules and yet he hadn't given up. He felt such pride for his Mate just then. He could think on his feet like no other and it made him all the more amazing and Jack... Jack was staring at him.

With a curious tilt of his head, Jack listened to Bunny's thoughts. He hadn't realized that he was in any real danger, but had he really been so impressive? All he did was freeze his arms and pinch his ears, both of which caused Bunny pain. If anything, he should be angry with him, but Jack was presented with something else completely unexpected... a feeling that he wasn't used to having directed at him.

Pride.

Warm, swelling pride. Pride which was almost impossible to identify, because it felt like a burst of love, but the thoughts that came with it tainted what should have been a touching sentiment. Bunny had _known_ that would happen, whatever _that_ was, so maybe what Jack had done had been a little impressive, considering, but right now he just wanted answers.

Aster swallowed in trepidation as his Mate shoved his chest and asked the inevitable, "What _was_ that? _!_ " his tone huffy, blatantly both confused and irritated by the interruption Bunny's little episode had caused to their intended liaison.

Time for the old goat of a Pooka to admit his mistake. "That... that was me cockin' up our first matin'..." Bunny sighed, rubbing the back of his head in his chagrin. "Well, ok, technic'ly we haven't mated yet, but Ah should'a warned ya. Ah haven' had a first matin' since Lyra an' that was more'n a millenium ago." He shrugged. " Ah flat out forgot."

Ignoring for the moment that Bunny had just admitted to being more than a thousand years old - good God, how old _was_ he -, Jack focused instead on the one word in all that which he had never heard before. Granted, Bunny often said words that Jack didn't know, but this one stuck out in a way none ever had. This was a word that gave insight into his lover's guarded past. A name; 'Lyra'.

Jack didn't have to ask, it was obvious based on what Bunny said, and the sharp twinge of grief and deep regret which accompanied the name, that Lyra was his old mate. Maybe, just maybe, Jack had shoes to fill that he had been unaware of. He hadn't expected Bunny to be a virgin, of course - his kisses alone were enough to show his experience, but the sprite didn't know anything about his love-life before they met. He had so many questions. She was obviously important. How could she not be? But how much had Bunny loved Lyra? What if she was a source of heartbreak for him? - ok, that question was stupid. Obviously, she was. - How long had they been mates? What happened to her? Had they been Mates when the Pooka were annihilated... was that why her memory hurt him? There were so many things to ask, but Jack didn't say a word... He didn't want to fill up this moment with talk of the past.

Not that he got the chance. Jack's attention was abruptly wrenched back to the present as the claw that had been working its way up his abdomen began making slow circles around one of his areolas, occasionally darting in to catch on the nipple itself. "C-cocked it up hhh...?" he tried to say, but that claw was causing his words to seize in his throat.

"How?" Bunny finished for him, eyebrows jerking playfully. "Ah forgot about the joinin'."

"The wha..." Jack gasped as Bunny pinched the rapidly hardening pink nub.

"Joinin'. It's a hormone thing. Makes the libido go berko, tops up the aggression an' kinda makes yer logical mind nick out for a bit."

"That's not going to happen every time, is it?"

"No worries, Mate. It's a one-time-only kind of a thing. That's part'a why Ah forgot ta warn ya... But you! Ya little beaut!" Bunny crowed and assaulted Jack with an exuberant noogie. "HEY! Ow!... C'mon... Bunny!" came the squawking protest, Jack flailing under the encroaching paw, then huffing as Bunny quickly dropped a kiss to the top of his head, ignoring the big stink his mate was putting up, and continued, "Ya just checked yer nerves an' gave it a whirl! Ah never would'a expected ya'd bail me up like ya did!"

"It was mostly luck - but I am pretty awesome," Jack agreed smugly. He had no idea what Bunny was saying, but the emotions that accompanied it told him it was praise at least. They also drew his attention back to that curious link. "You're in my head again... How are you doing that?"

Deciding to address the question first, but certainly having no intention to ignore Jack's smug comment, Bunny told him, "It's called the Pookan mind meld. It lets me broadcast mah thoughts and feelins as well as pick up on other peoples. Ah've only got it goin' one way at the moment, but Ah'll cut the link if ya want me ta..." Bunnymund ran his chin over his Mate's head as he offered, "..or, if ya like... Ah could open it both ways. It's up ta you. Ah normally don't do it without permission. Only opened it a few minutes ago cause Ah wasn' in mah right mind."

Jack shook his head rapidly. "No no! Don't close it. It's neat… I mean - that came out weird." He rolled his eyes inwardly, knowing he sounded like a kid. "I kind of like it. You should just… open it. I mean, both ways. That's only fair, right?" - for Bunny to know how he felt, just as the reverse was true.

He had permission now, but Bunny didn't open the mind meld right away. There was still the matter of Jack's brash statement to address. "Now, as fer the other thing ya said..." Rolling so that he was partially on top of Jack, Bunny leered down at him. "Cocky little bastard, aint'cha?" Then he leaned in and gave the nipple he'd been playing with a long lick followed by a flick with his tongue, just to get a rise out of his conquest.

Jack gasped - all thought of joinings and mind-links cut off as electric shivers splintered out from the contact, reminding him that before he had been _worried_ about Bunny, he had been lusting after him. Then Bunnymund marched a line of kisses from that nipple up over Jack's collar bone - every one a kiss of temptation, and and a squeak of a moan rushed over his lips. Bunny was so close to his mouth, Jack was sure that was his next target.

And he _had_ intended it to be, but Bunnymund saw something now that gave him pause. "Jack, Mate... Ah thought ya said Ah didn't hurt ya?! " he asked worriedly, gaping at the huge mark on Jack's neck. How had he missed that until now? Not only was it a good three inches across and red as an apple with a dark purple spot in the middle, but it was _also_ swollen big enough to have half a plum hidden under it. And to top it off, there were two thin lines toward the top of the hickey where his overgrown upper incisors had broken Jack's skin, leaving a slow trickle of blood in their wake.

"What?" Jack asked, frowning at the accusation. A sudden pain shooting up into his jaw, triggered by a simple bump from Bunny's nose which served as sharp reminder to Jack of his injury. "Oh - that." The perma-teen closed his eyes to shield himself from the assessing gaze on him and sighed, "I liked that." In the heat of the moment, it had felt divine to have the sting of pain mixed in with the pleasure. It had stunned his already wild senses and made him feel sort of 'owned'. It was strange, because most people would hate to be objectified with such a marking.., but Jack had spent three hundred years with no one even seeing him. For a great many of those years he'd wondered if he was actually a ghost. To be objectified now made him feel real... alive - and wanted.

Bunny gave him a look of surprise. He hadn't expected Jack to have _liked_ being bitten. It was something the Pooka was rather prone to do, even when in control of himself. _Lyra_ had always hated it. Although he'd never before gone to such extremes as actually puncturing skin - she would have knocked his block off if he had. Yet Jack had liked even that... He'd gone and netted himself a masochist. Who knew?

"Ah'm glad ya liked it, but just the same, Ah'm sorry, Mate. It could'a been a lot worse," he told Jack. It scared Bunny to think he'd done such a thing and not known it. Thank the gods that the joining hormones were only ever released once per mated couple. Bunny bent down and licked the blood from the top of the wound, enjoying the taste. Sweet and slightly metallic and every bit of it Jack. Not that he'd ever admit to liking it. Then he remembered that his side of the link was open and groaned to himself. _Well, he knows now.._ he lamented. Which led, in turn, to him realizing he still hadn't done as Jack had asked, so he propped himself up on one elbow and confirmed, "Ya wanted me ta open the link _completely_ , right?"

Jack was amused by the thoughts that came flittering through that mind link. He was unique in liking to be bitten? And, was he crazy, or was Bunny pleased by that fact. Even more intriguing, he apparently enjoyed the taste of blood? Jack just _couldn't_ resist poking fun at that little tidbit. "Heh. That's what I said.., _Count Bunnicula_ ," he teased.

With a withering glare at Jack, Aster dropped all barriers between his mind and Jack's, including those governing taste and pleasure, then smirked as a wash of thought, sensation and emotion flowed over him. Now that he could feel Jack too, it was time to show him just how much _fun_ sex with a Pooka could be - and get back at him for the _Bunnicula_ thing to boot.

Jack was brought out of his thoughts when Bunny took his hand, and guided it down to his tapered shaft, manipulating his fingers into stroking the tip. He didn't mind obliging his lover's desire in the slightest - after all, he probably knew how to give a hand-job better than _anyone_ \- but Jack was _shocked_ when the resulting jolt it set off pleased _him_ as well. A surprised whimper crawled out of his throat, before his eyes darted back up to Bunny. "T-that… is part of the mind meld..?" he asked breathily.

"Oh? Did Ah forget to mention that too? Ah must be gettin' senile in mah old age..." Bunny gave him a devious grin, his attempt at feigning innocence failing miserably. "So..." he began, thrusting once into Jack's hand for emphasis, "Ya ready fer round two?"

Jack was amazed. Bunny wasn't even _touching_ him - well... not with his hands anyway - yet he was incredibly stimulated. It struck him then that it was entirely possible, in this situation, to achieve orgasm without Bunny doing anything. Of course... that was an experiment for later, he supposed - one the Easter Bunny quickly determined _would_ happen nearly the instant the thought formed in his Mate's head. Jack welcomed said determination by pumping the Pooka a few times - slowly, loins crawling in response. "I can handle anything you dish out, Peter Cottontail."

It was then that Bunny realized - Jack didn't actually _know_ his name. He'd called him variations of his family name and a myriad of nick names, but never actually learned his first name. Bunny loved Jack, they were about to have full-blown Pooka sex for the first time and Jack didn't even know his true name. It surprised Jack when this fact entered his mind and, as the rabbit pushed his hand away from his hardened length and leaned in close, a bubble of anticipation filled him.

Breath hot on both Jack's and his own ear, Bunny whispered, "Mah name is 'Aster', Mate."

Aster... How long had he known Bunny and never once had he considered that he had a 'real' name? "Aster," he repeated, testing the name on his tongue. He found that he liked it. It felt special… He'd certainly never heard anyone _else_ call Bunny that. Was this an invitation to start using that name?

"Yeah, Mate," Bunny allowed, "You go right ahead an call me Aster," a purr to his words.

Jack was starting to figure out that whatever one of them thought, the other would hear. This was going to take some getting used to. Right now, however, he just wanted to test drive the physical part of the link more thoroughly. "Alright _Aster -_ have at it."

"Have at it, huh?" Bunny smirked. "That's gotta be the worst 'come-on' Ah've ever heard, Mate."

"As if you really need a better come o…" Jack was lost for words. Aster had suddenly attacked his mouth and the intensity of the action, coupled with their link made his mind briefly go blank and reduced him to a virtual puddle. Kissing was different now… everything they did was different. He stroked Bunny's fur and felt hands on his back, he nipped Bunny's lip and felt the pinch on his own... It felt new, it felt _wonderful_ \- because he experienced _both_ sides of the encounter.

When he surfaced, Bunny laughed. It had just been a kiss, but that had been unbelievable! This was another thing he could never do with Lyra. She didn't like the mind meld. Whenever any other Pooka tried to use it on her, she'd get so mad... If only she'd known what she had missed out on. What she'd caused _him_ to miss out on. Shaking himself out of his reverie, Aster pushed his thoughts of her to the back of his mind. He was certain Jack wouldn't want to hear about his previous Mate right now.

Jack honestly didn't care if Bunny flooded his mind with thoughts of Lyra… In truth, he was curious. She was probably wonderful - how else could she have merited Bunnymund's attention? - and Jack wanted to respect her… just not be compared to her. Even if the idea that he was a little kinkier brought a sly smile to his face.

Deciding to test just how kinky Jack really was, Bunny laid himself fully on top of the sprite again and went in for his previous mark, biting and sucking hard enough that the skin was stretched up into his mouth, drawing more blood from the wound and a groan of satisfaction from his throat as it set his entire body on fire, pleasure, pain and that magnificent Jack-taste assaulting his senses.

One would think Jack's immediate instinct would be to pull away, but no, he actually tilted his head, allowing as much access as Bunny desired. It was painful, but it sent sparks of pleasure shooting down his spine and crawling up his neck like a swarm of confused spiderlings. He marveled at the animalistic desire that let Aster enjoy making him bleed... wanted to be repulsed by the taste of his own blood on his tongue, but Aster was enjoying it and that muddled his own feelings. He could sense through their link that Bunny only liked it because it was Jack - that he would never taste the blood of any other and thrill in it this way - and that offered some comfort - but still... it was blood.

"It's only red gravy, Snowflake. Don't be a knocker," Bunny muttered while he shifted to the other side of that pale neck and set about making a matching set.

Jack forgot to care about the blood... That bite felt so incredibly good. The pain serving to sharpen the pleasure. The way Aster laid his body over Jack warmed the teen and he rocked his body up against him to provide further contact, fingernails digging into oddly angled shoulder blades and pricking ghostlike at somewhat cooler skin. His pale lips parted and, "A-Aster…!" slipped off his tongue in a moan.

"That'a boy, Jack. Just enjoy it," Aster hummed against Jack's neck and licked at the blood which now oozed from the new neck wound he'd made, pausing occasionally to suck at it some more. He could do this all night without getting bored. Oh and the way it had made Jack cry out... "Say it like that again, Jackie!" Bunny commanded, as he rolled one of Jack's nipples between his teeth, then bit down and his Mate's painful pleasure again shot through him.

Given that, Jack had no trouble repeating his earlier moan, "Ahhh-ah-Aster..," thick and heady, and Bunny closed his eyes to block out visual stimuli, savoring the sound as one might a fine wine. "Mmmm... Yeah, Babe... That's the way."

 _Babe?_ Jack thought in bewilderment.

At that point Jack's fur-bound Mate could have bitten his nipple clean off, and it probably would have still been pleasurable - not that Jack really _expected_ that to happen - but the errant thought surprised Aster. Granted, they were in the throes of some pretty intense lust, but he wasn't that far gone that he would do something like that. Not anymore, anyway. It made him dial back his intensity a bit, however, lest he actually injure his Mate in a way that would leave lasting damage. A scar or two, sure, but missing body parts? Not good! Besides, he loved Jack's cute little nipples and he'd rather they stay right where they were.

Bunny's hesitance was a disappointment to Jack. Panting in half-needy whimpers, he pressed his hips up again, shivering at the dual sparks of pleasure it caused within them. His fingernails clawed again at Bunny's back… which inflicted a hint of pain to Bunny - which in turn ignited a hint of lust in Jack. It was sort of a cycle now, and he was lost to it. He wanted to do more, needed to, but he was very far from sure he knew how to get what he wanted.

A chuckle burbled up Bunny's throat at the train of thought chugging around in Jack's head. Disappointed, was he? Wanted more, did he? "Jack, am Ah borin' ya?" he asked teasingly.

Cheeks darkening immediately, Jack stuttered, "W-what? No!" Bored? Ha! Never!

"If ya need more," Bunny decided, "Ah'm game." And he leaned in to lock his lips over Jack's, kissing him deeply and holding court with his tongue for a few moments. Then, copying the frost sprite's earlier maneuver in biting his bottom lip, he slowly sat back, swinging a leg over Jack's waist as he did so. Between his grip on Jack's lip and the way he shifted positions, Jack was forced to move into a sitting position with him. At first he was confused, but when Bunny - no, _Aster_ \- tugged him close enough that their groins were touching, the confusion evaporated.

Now sitting, cock to cock, Aster released his Mate's kisser and slowly raked his claws down the front of his abdomen, leaving vibrant red lines in their wake. He could feel the way Jack's muscles tensed under his body and he moaned with shared pleasure from the burning lines. Then, just because he could, he made similar scratches which crossed the others perpendicularly, like a tic tac toe board and, finally, nipping each square in turn, all the while thrilling in the sensations they both got from it.

Jack shivered, but tried not to move, with each marking that Bunny left on him with his claws and teeth. His skin was lighting up, heating as blood pooled under it, and he was fascinated with the look in the alien's eyes as he sat back and admired both the design he'd made and the canvas he'd drawn it on. The marks he was leaving all over Jack's body were the proof of his claim. This was his. That was his. _Jack_ was his, and Jack was magnificent. He smiled down at his lover and sighed reverently, "You are such a beauty, Mate..."

Jaw dropping open, Jack tilted his gaze to Bunny's mouth, to stare at it - will it to explain what could possibly make its keeper say such a thing. He'd never been called so many nice things in one day… Snowflake? Mate? Babe? Beauty? He was beginning to get overwhelmed and Bunny was sending his ego through the roof!

While Jack was distracted, Aster's gaze fell to where their manhoods lay touching - a devious smirk coming to his eyes - and he began rolling his hips forward... once... twice... three times, rubbing his erection against Jack's and causing them both to moan again.

Jack couldn't help being stunned. He'd never imagined sex to be so... he had no words for it. This was heaven. It had to be. Nothing had ever felt quite like this... and he was still a _virgin_. There was no point in hiding it anymore. Aster was in his head, he would know Jack was inexperienced. If anything, it should be a compliment. Jack's whole sexual world would be built up around him. He was a blank slate and more than eager to learn. He could be taught to do anything Bunny liked, _exactly_ the way he liked it. Just as he'd figured out that blowjob mere minutes before.

Picking up on what Jack was thinking quite accidentally, Bunny laughed again. As if his being a virgin made any difference - to Bunny anyway. He certainly liked the idea of 'training' his Mate and making it a non-issue to _Jack_  would be easy enough, and damn fun to boot. "Maybe it's time we took care'a that, eh?"


	17. In Which Jack is a Virgin No More... and Neither is Bunny?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time for the 'main event' has come, but will Jack survive it? Can someone die from pleasure overload? And just what is Bunny hiding from Jack, even while the mind meld is open?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- NC-17 / NFSW WARNING!! That means sex. If this isn't your thing, you may wish to wait for the next chapter, when things have returned to SFW.
> 
> \- The Guardians of Childhood; Rise of the Guardians and all characters involved belong to their respective copyright holders. I make no claim to these characters and make no money from this story.

 

* * *

 

Did Bunny  _have_  to choose  _now_  to comment on his virgin status? Ok, so Jack  _had_ sort of inadvertently brought it up by thinking about it, but his fur-brained boyfriend could have dealt with it just as well without the commentary. Jack had been soaring high on sentimental words which sung to him like a symphony written for his ears alone. Now, because Aster couldn't keep his  _mouth_  shut, shame distracted the abashed teen from the composer of those words and his current scheme so thoroughly that he started when next he was spoken to. 

"Hey, Mate..." 

"Huh?" came the mystified reply. 

"Ah'm gonna need ya ta slick me up again," Aster informed his lover, eyes glittering with mirth at Jack's bewildered expression."Ya know, unless ya  _want_  me ta go in dry..." 

Going in dry… sounded like the opposite of what Jack wanted. That would be more painful than even  _he_  had a taste for. Pain, he had discovered, could be great, but there were limits. Any idiot who's ever fallen on stiff carpet and gotten a rug burn out of the mishap knows that excessive friction is  _not_  your friend. 

Glancing down at Aster's once-again dry length, Jack smirked, “I think I can help with that.” - now that he was no longer quite so focused on his humiliation. At least this was something he had done once and succeeded at. He gave Aster a good-natured shove and the rabbit-man let himself flop onto his back, flashing Jack a lop-sided grin as he watched him assume a similar position to that which he'd been in the first go round. Jack paused scant millimeters from acquiescing to the request to make one of his own - "No choking me this time." 

"Hah! No promises, Snowflake! Hard ta resist with the way  _you_  go at it." Aster quirked his eyebrows at Jack. "Ye're just too damn talented," he chuckled. 

Then the Guardian of Fun decided to have some fun of his own.  _Talented, huh? I'll show you talented!_ Jack thought, causing a flare of anticipation to shoot through Bunnymund's loins. The Pooka didn't have to wait long, as his cohort leaned forward, head tilted to the side and kissed the base of his erection, then pinched the silken skin between his lips while sucking gently. Moving up a little, he did it again... then repeated it a third time. 

"C'moooon..." Bunny groaned, head dropping back to the mattress. "Ye're drivin' me crazy, Mate!" How was he not driving  _himself_  crazy at the same time? By teasing Bunny, he was also teasing himself. He should be feeling just as harried as he - in fact, Bunny  _knew_  he was - yet, as he dragged his tongue along the low ridge which ran underneath his organ from base to tip, Jack  _appeared_  fairly composed. 

It just goes to show that appearances can be deceiving. Despite Bunny's thoughts, Jack was still trying to give the impression of calm collection when at last he took Bunny into his mouth - and very nearly fell apart completely. Now Bunny could see the effects Jack was having on himself. Every swipe of his tongue drew mewls of pleasure out of him, mewls that vibrated against hot flesh and redoubled the sensation that caused them. He ground himself against the bed, kneaded the soft thighs he gripped. The only salvation to the waves of pleasure he was riding was knowing that it was coming from Bunny. He wasn't making an ass of himself - he was doing this right... making Bunny feel good. A little  _too_  good apparently; his manipulations triggering powerful hips to buck and Jack was nearly jabbed in the throat again despite his embargo against it. 

Aster restrained himself as best he could now that Jack was sucking on him as though he were a popsicle, foot thumping ever so slightly in lieu of more bucking. The thumping amused Jack endlessly. It was cute! - Should one be _allowed_ to call a 6 foot tall rabbit cute? - That aside, he greatly appreciated Aster's restraint, as did his most likely bruised throat which smarted a bit each time he relaxed it to swallow as much of him as possible. 

Several comments in response to being called 'cute' both formed and then vanished from Aster's mind under the assault. That's what it was. An assault. That was the best word he could come up with. Jack was assaulting his erection with every kind of pleasing thing imaginable. And now he was _humming!_  Oh, gods, the humming! It made Aster shiver all over, that squirmy feeling in his abdomen going crazy and he whimpered in ravishment. 

Everything his Snowflake did was amazing and it was bringing them  _both_  near to completion - which meant he needed to stop now. Bunny had only requested to be lubricated and if this kept up, he would end up  _frosting_  Jack again which, while it had been _fun_ , could prevent them from ever getting to the main event which had been so long in coming already. So he reached down and gripped Jack by the hair, but instead of using the hold to encourage Jack to continue, he gently used it to remove Jack's mouth from his rod before things got messy. "That's enough, Mate," Bunny panted. "Time ta put that lube job ta good use." 

Jack nearly laughed at the lube job comment - seriously, was Bunny a  _car_ now? - and then again when the Pooka shifted back to his knees... and nearly fell off the bed. Sex, it seemed, was not so smooth and mishap-free as the pornos made it out to be. It was full of anxiety, uncertainty, out-of-place remarks and unplanned curveballs... Jack just hoped that Bunny's ' _Main Event_ ' was worth it all. 

As he leaned forward, wrapping an arm around Jack's back and shoulders to move him to a less precarious position, Bunny wondered when they had gotten so close to the edge. Now holding him chest to chest, he half-carried, half-dragged Jack back toward the head of the bed on three limbs and Jack could no longer resist the giggle he'd been fighting. He didn't want the man who now laid him on his back to get the wrong idea, but when Bunny nuzzled at the angry red mark to the left of his neck, kissed it _ever_ so gently, then claimed, "Mine," he stopped worrying about it. 

There was something very animal about how Bunny was treating him in that moment… and Jack sort of loved it. He had never been claimed before; didn’t know how to feel about it at first. But, when he cast aside the 'ifs', 'ands' or 'buts' that came to mind, and instead focused the 'mine', he felt his heart swell and sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly, along with several lifetimes of loneliness and despair. 'Mine.' Jack could roll with that. 

“Yours.” 

Jack brushed his hands over downy shoulders and chest - Bunny closing his eyes to enjoy the touch - and silently wondered if the rabbit was right in his decision. Could he really measure up to the Mate he'd lost? Could he handle Bunny's rages and stubbornness? Was he really _right_  for Bunny? 

He tilted his head to nuzzle against Bunny’s cheek and was met with a wave of unrestrained affection as Bunny responded, leaning into his touch with a soothing  purr. If Bunny was so certain, Jack decided, none of that other stuff mattered. Maybe he  _wasn't_  right for Bunny, but he wanted to try. 

“I want you,” Jack breathed and Bunny's heart leapt, despite the fact that it was something he had known since the events in the sitting room. He had suspected before then, but it made him unreasonably happy to hear it spoken - like he was high on chocolate. 

Jack had never been more earnest in his entire life. In so many ways, he wanted Bunny. He wanted to be his Mate, to be his friend, to be the same annoying kid he had always been. He wanted his flaws and his alien idiosyncrasies... and he wanted that amazing, wonderfully alien body that had been making him crazy since they hit the bed. 

Finally, Bunnymund was ready. He prayed Jack would still want him after what was sure to happen in the next few minutes. What with the constant pleasure onslaught since opening the Pookan mind meld, he didn't think he was going to last long enough to take it slow, so it was good to know Jack  _liked_  the pain - cause this was going to hurt. 

That thought actually added an extra touch of excited anxiety to the prospect for Jack. He knew that Aster had wanted to be gentle to avoid causing him undue pain, but the way things had fallen into place, that was no longer possible without leaving them both unsatisfied in the end and that was a thing Jack was quite certain he didn't want. His pulse quickened when the Pooka positioned himself behind him, but he was surprised and rather disappointed when he didn't attempt to enter him right away. Instead, Bunny lifted Jack's legs and hooked them over his shoulders, putting his anus in line with his mouth. “Bunny?” He hadn't expected to be hoisted up quite like that. There was only one reason for this position, but was Bunny really the type? Was he  _really_  about to... 

 _“Bunny!_ ” Jack gasped as Aster pressed his nose to the spot just above his hole, applying pressure in a way he knew would bring him pleasure, and then reached out his tongue and stroked it over the circle of elastic flesh. He circled his tongue around it, making sure to apply a liberal amount of saliva as he did so. Just to make it more fun for Jack and, let's be honest, himself - because  _damn_  did this feel good - he pushed the tip of his tongue hard to the tight muscle and wiggled it. His anticipation for the moment when he finally penetrated that ring built as the sensations he caused in Jack transferred to his own body, making them both squirm with desire. 

That  _tongue!_  Jack found it impossible not to push his hips up to meet the probing wetness. It felt good - it sparked through his lower body like fire. This was a place that had never even been  _addressed_  in his life before, and now it was the source of pleasure. Just when he thought he couldn't handle anymore, Bunnymund shifted the teen lower, to waist level, his feet now up on his shoulders instead of his thighs and Jack whined in pathetic desperation at the loss of sensation. Just to tease, Aster ran his erection up and down over Jack's unsullied hole, slowly... achingly... and Jack whined again. Once centered, he gripped the sharp hips tightly and growled, "Last chance ta back out, Mate." 

Back out? Bunny was positioned at his entrance, both of them moistened enough that Jack would survive, and Bunny was asking if he wanted to back out? He most certainly did not. 

Jack wiggled his ass teasingly. "What'samatter? Scared you'll freeze your rabbit-junk off?"

"Watch it, Frosty, or Ah might just leave ya hangin' anyway!"

Jack suddenly lowered his legs and wrapped them around the Pooka. He'd be damned if he was going to let Aster get away with that. He tightened his legs around him, effectively luring him the first few millimeters in. Backing down was simply not an option - for either of them. 

Jack's actions spoke for themselves, but even without them, Aster could feel the wanton desire directed at him and he leered down, the look wild with lust, "Don't clench." It was all the warning Jack got before Bunny slammed home. No pre-amble, no prep. Just a sudden and excruciating impaling of Jack's ass on Bunny's huge rod, from the tapered tip all the way to the thick base in less than half a second. It was the most wonderful sensation Bunny'd ever been privy to. He felt like he was being torn in two, asshole first, but at the same time, his own cock felt amazing in that tight and throbbing passage. 

“A-AhhNNG!” The voice of his Mate was so elevated it was nearly a scream and a thrill went through Aster at the sound, his mind reeling.   _Ah'm inside Jack... Ah'm actually **inside**  Jack. _This was so different from the fiery hotness he could barely recall from his experience with Lyra. Not cold, but little more than normal human body temperature despite their activities... and so incredibly tight! The body surrounding him quivered and he let out a shaky sigh. "Oh, gods..." 

Faced with an entirely new sort of pain, Jack couldn't help but clench. It was countered though, with the sharp ecstasy that came from Bunny. It was overwhelming, it made his legs tremble, and it didn’t even matter. His eyes were wide. His lower body felt like it was being  _split open_ , and Bunny was marveling about being inside of him like it was the most shocking and fulfilling thing he'd ever experienced. All Jack could do was to throw his head back into the sheets and let out a reedy whine. 

Aster gave him only a few moments to adjust before he began to thrust. Slowly withdrawing until only the tip was still within his Mate and then mercilessly ramming himself back in up to the hilt. "Jack... Ya gotta relax yerself," Aster advised him, as he withdrew again, "Ye're so tight, Mate..." and he plunged back in. "Nnn..." 

 _Relax yourself, he says. As if that's even possible._  But Jack  _tried_  to heed the advice anyway. It was so hard not to tense up with the pleasure and pain overwhelming him. It felt so good, Jack was left without the ability to form words - but moans and gasps and the occasional attempt to sound out Bunny’s name were thrown in there. When he found himself curling his fingers into the bed and whimpering, that was the point at which he realized that this was probably his new favorite thing. 

Over and over, Bunny lanced his beloved, always with that slow pull-back before the return spearing. As he moved, he echoed nearly every sound coming from Jack. Grunting, moaning, gasping, sighing and groaning, he repeatedly embedded himself, the tip of his length in search of that sweet spot which would give them both the most intense pleasure - his prostate. Jack was too uneducated in sex to know what that was... but he tried to help by shifting his hips this way and that, giving him access to new angles and hoping Bunny would get lucky. - Not that he wasn't already ' _getting lucky_ '. 

Even Bunny wasn't sure  _where_  it would be, never having had sex with another man before, never mind one of a different  _species,_ but he knew the instant he found it. The world went white as his mind was overrun with pleasure and they gasped in unison. Bunny hit it again... and again, picking up speed now and no longer bothering to slow down on the retreating strokes. Both cried out in euphoria each time he nailed his target, Jack's legs reflexively winding tighter, Bunny's paws shifting for a better grip. 

Bombarded with so much sensation, Jack didn't think he could take it, yet he wanted more. A dribble of precum dripped from his very-much untouched erection and he had to resist the urge to handle it himself. It had hardly been a few minutes, and he felt like he may burst already... but what would it feel like to add another source of pleasure to the mix?  _Could_ he handle it? Or would he just pass out from pleasure overload? 

Aster lowered Jack's hips slowly to the bed, following the motion with his own body; then, bracing himself on one forearm, he took the neglected manhood Jack was so concerned with in paw and began to stroke it in time with his thrusts. 

Jack stopped breathing. 

 _Everything_  about him stopped. Like his whole body had instantly frozen, for just a beat's time, and then his hands flew up to embrace his attacker, anchoring him. He clung tight, shoulders lifting from the bed, fearful that he might float away. As if Bunny would let that happen.

"Oh, that's good..." Bunny purred, hardly able to keep up a proper rhythm now. It was the strangest, but most erotic feeling. Like having two penises and two anuses in the throes of lovemaking  _at the same time_ , attached to  _one_ body. Fucking and being fucked, jerking and being jerked. It was amazing! It was incredible! It was absolutely mind-blowing!   
  
And then the  _pain_  started. At first Aster thought it was just from exertion, but this was different. His every muscle began to sting as though developing paper-cuts. Aster pointedly ignored it, blocking that pain from Jack's mind the moment it had begun. It would ruin things if Jack knew something was wrong. Lucky for Bunny, Jack wasn’t focused enough to notice the waver in the connection between them, because he was so close now, there was no stopping him anyway. 

As he neared his peak, Bunny began to develop tunnel vision, but he was determined to keep going. He paid no heed to the sharp twinges of pain that shot through his limbs with each thrust and, instead, pounded away like a psychotic piston, reaching a speed only a rabbit could. His flat out  _refusal_  to let residual aches stop him from claiming Jack forever as his own was absolute. He was nearly there. He could feel a building pressure in his loins, waiting to be released, but he wasn't ready just yet. Aster held back as he demanded, "Ah wanna hear ya say my name again, Jack! Ah wanna hear ya _scream_  it!" 

And Jack lost all sense of control. He arched his back, his whole body tightening around Bunny like a vice, lighting two sets of eyes with even more stars. His back was bent so much that only his head was left on the bed. One last thrust and... 

“ ** _ASTER!!!!”_  **Screaming so loud that perhaps the stars the Pooka was named for themselves could hear it, Jack coated both their torsos in white. 

Then, his name like touching fire to a cannon fuse, Aster roared to the rafters without care for his volume or who might hear him. He felt as if he'd just exploded and in a way, he had. With all the force of a geyser going off, he filled Jack with so much hot sticky life that it spurted back out around his shaft. Aster's thrusts became spasms and he doubled over, wrapping his quaking body tightly around Jack and biting down reflexively on his Mate's already-injured left shoulder. It took a good thirty seconds for his body to stop jerking and his jaw to unlock enough for him to extract his teeth from Jack's muscle. 

Jack was shaking, panting - sweating even, but this time it had little to do with the weather. Little shocks, like the sting of static electricity after walking on carpet, traveled up and down his limbs. He wasn’t used to this treatment… not at all. 

Satiated, Bunny grinned at Jack, then shifted his weight to his right and just sort of fell over sideways, taking him along for the ride. They lay there, face to face, limbs still entwined and still firmly connected by Bunny's cock embedded in Jack's ass as they came down off the euphoria of ejaculation. 

He had heard about what it was like to have sex with the Pookan Mind Meld open but, because of Lyra's aversion to it, he'd never tried it himself until tonight. Considering this and his lack of experience with another male, in a way, it was as though he too had been a virgin. The question one might ask... was he  _still?_  As far as the meld went, definitely not. As for the  _other_  part, though Jack hadn't penetrated him, Bunny  _felt_  as though he had. Although, technically, that had been his own penis he'd felt. Whatever one's point of view on the matter, one thing was certain - there was something truly magical about mind-linked sex. It was potentially addictive... and Bunny wasn't certain he'd ever want to do it without that most intimate of connections again. 

"Hmmm... That was... good," Bunny sighed, speech broken by once-again labored breathing. "What'm Ah... sayin? That... was amazin'!" He closed his eyes against the sting still present in his muscles and, snuggling his face into Jack's neck, he ground his teeth together, making almost a purring sound. He was content. He felt peace. He felt loved - and, for the first time since the end of the Golden Age, he was well and truly  _completely_... happy. 

Sadly, the feeling was quickly tainted by a stabbing in his shoulder which reminded him that he was pressing his face in awfully close to a rather nasty wound, one which he had just made worse. Pulling back to look at it, he let out a sympathetic hiss. "Ah... may've gone a little... overboard..." 

"Gone overboard on what?" Jack was confused. He felt wonderful. Although... his rear  _was_  rather sore... and something else  _did_  hurt. The sprite wasn't quite used to the mind meld just yet and, while he felt Bunny's concern and a pain he now realized was coming from his shoulder, it took him a moment to connect the two. He nodded his head in silent agreement. Bunny had certainly overdone it. He'd practically taken a bite out of him, but Bunny was nuzzling him again, tenderly licking his wound, kissing him… everything felt special. Everything was an afterglow. “She's apples," he mimicked in a poor excuse for an Aussie accent, earning a roll of Bunny's eyes. "It kinda stings… but I’ll be okay…” 

His insistence did little for the concern Bunny felt. The bite was deep. His teeth had gone in at least half an inch. It was  _definitely_  painful, it  _likely_ needed medical attention and it would  _certainly_ leave a scar... but Jack wasn't worried about the bite, he was worried about Bunny. The longer they laid there, chest to furry chest, the more he became aware of the Pooka's condition. He was warm.... no... more than warm. Bunny was hot again... and panting as well - heavily. And what was that other sound? Was that... was that Bunny's  _heart?_  Why couldn't he feel that? He'd felt everything else Bunny's body had gone through... “What about you? Are you okay?" he asked, "You shouldn’t have… so soon after... well, you know... You're tired…” 

"No worries, Luv," Bunny assured him, "Ah'm healthy as a brumby!" Although he wasn't entirely certain of that himself. He really  _was_  very tired... but his vision was returning to normal and his muscles, while they still ached, no longer felt like they were tearing. 

Jack lifted his hands to lightly hold Bunny’s face and force him to look at him. “Lying isn't very Guardian-like, Aster. Fix the link.” There was no reason to lie about this. His health was important. 

"Ah'm not..." 

"Fix it."  
  
"Ok, maybe Ah was yeastin'," Bunny hedged, "but Ah really don' feel all  _that_  crook. Not compared ta this mornin' anyway. Ah promise, Ah'm not gonna cark it from havin' a naughty with ya," 

" _Fix. It._ " 

"Ya aint the boss'a me, Jackie-boy." Removing Jack's hands from his face, he pinned him with an annoyed glare, "An where d'ya get off tellin'  _me_  what's not 'Guardian-like'?", none too pleased at being lectured by the 'new guy'. 

Jack refused to be side-tracked. "Aster, would you just fix the stupid link? Or do you want me to go get North?" 

"Was that a threat, Frosty?" 

Unimpressed by Aster's continued attempts to change the subject by provoking a fight over something else, Jack didn't flinch. He just glowered at his lover, the look stern.

"Ye're lucky Ah'm too tired ta argue," Aster grumbled, before laying back, draping an arm over his eyes, finally allowing Jack access to his discomfort again.

The movement caused Bunny's length to finally slide free and Jack whined at the unexpected loss. It was… strange. He had nearly forgotten they were still connected and now, after being so full, he didn’t quite feel right without him in place. The feeling was mirrored by Bunny. Now that he was no longer within Jack and, by strange extension, himself - he too felt empty. Even though he'd never been filled in the first place. 

The two of them didn't dwell on it long - Jack was already beginning to feel out his condition. He felt Bunny's pain... the way his muscles cramped, how he was so hot, so winded, and so incredibly tired… but not nearly as bad as he'd expected, really. Certainly, he wasn't in any danger at the moment. Jack supposed North's healing draught had something to do with it. That stuff worked wonders, but then, wasn't that what North did? Bunny would probably need more of it now, but at least it seemed he was right about not dying anytime soon. 

"Was that so hard?" Jack asked as Aster began to clean off the rest of the scattered splotches of blood and cum from his smooth-skin. As he groomed Jack, Aster made a mental note to be a bit gentler next time. There should not be this much blood from one mating. In fact, he now noticed, the sheets were looking a bit worse for wear as well. How was he going to explain all this to North? He really hadn't thought this whole thing through, and now that it  _was_  through, he knew he was going to be in trouble with their esteemed leader. There was just no way he wouldn't know what had happened when he saw Jack's shoulders, or the sheets, and he  _was_  going to have to ask for more of that healing potion... North would want to know why he needed it... With a heavy sigh, he lifted the sheets for Jack to see. "We're, uh... not gettin' away with this, are we?" 

“North is gonna kill us,” Jack agreed with a chuckle, while he worked his fingers up to Bunny’s ears, back to the naked skin he’d spent so long cooling earlier. “Well… kill you. He’ll probably just lecture me with that ‘I’m really disappointed in you’ voice, and then guilt trip me for letting you do this to yourself…”

Snuggling up with an ear against Jack's heart, Bunny sighed. He was enjoying the attention paid to his ears, even if Jack couldn’t do much because of how drained he was himself. How had he denied himself and his Snowflake this sense of completion all these long years? Why had he been so blind? 

Neither of them had an answer to that and Jack was too busy being annoyed with himself to pay it any mind. Some frost sprite he was. He couldn’t even make frost right now, only managing to cool his fingers a bit, yet somehow, it was having a much greater effect on Bunny's temperature this time around. 

Aster supposed it must be due to the fact that his temp hadn't quite hit the same degree it had earlier in the day, coupled with the relative chill he now became aware of in their room. It was certainly colder in here than it was in the rest of the workshop. Had North made it that way for his benefit? How had he known which room Aster had chosen? Was he watching them after all?   
  
 _If North **was**  watchin' us, he just got quite the show.._. 

 _Speaking_  of North, Bunnymund had just become aware that Jack had been, well, speaking of North, and the rabbit-man couldn't help but laugh at his comments, "Mate, what would be the point in killin' me fer endangerin' mah own life? That would be like throwin' me inta traffic fer tryin' ta cross the street without lookin' first." The words were out before he could stop himself. He'd just admitted to  _knowingly_  endangering his own life for a roll in the hay. Aster swiftly slapped a paw over his mouth and gave Jack a sheepish look from behind it. He fully expected his new Mate to be  _thoroughly_  pissed...


	18. In Which a Great Many Things Hidden Come to Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Accusations fly true like arrows as Bunny finds himself in trouble again - and not just with Jack. When imminent departure leads to admissions long withheld, will a tattle-tale Yeti blow the whistle on his foul before Aster can intercept?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- And now we are back to the SFW/PG13 - R rated chapters. I can't help but wonder if anyone actually skipped the sex..?
> 
> \- The name 'Lyra' is pronounced 'Leer-ah'. Just in case there was any confusion there.
> 
> \- Words between ( and ) are translations of yeti speech for the benefit of my tormented readers.
> 
> \- The Guardians of Childhood; Rise of the Guardians and all characters involved belong to their respective copyright holders. I make no claim to these characters and make no money from this story.

 

* * *

_~"Right now Easter is the last thing on my mind... **Mate.** "~_

How long ago had he said that? An hour? Bunny couldn't help but wonder how he had gone from that... to being glared at by his newly claimed and marked Mate for being in  _pain_.

  _~"... what would be the point in killin' me fer endangerin' mah own life?"~_ Oh, right.  _That_  was how... Ok, so he had knowingly put his life at risk again just for a lay in the hay and then hid the fact that he was in pain from Jack. Was that so... Well... ok. It  _was_  bad - he shouldn't have done it - and now Jack was annoyed. Rightfully so.

“Bunny…” Jack could have flung himself into a wall. Damn straight, he had a right to be upset! He knew what Bunny was thinking - how he was _feeling -_ because the Pooka had re-opened the mind meld, but…. “endangering your own life?” Jack narrowed his eyes at the overgrown rabbit as he ducked his grey head, guilt obvious and radiating as a neon light. With an exasperated sigh, he gripped the remains of Bunny's psuedo-mohawk and pulled down, forcing him to make eye contact. “You said you were  _okay_!”

"Ah  _am_  okay... mostly..." Bunny insisted. Really, Jack was the one who looked the worst for wear. Covered in scratches, bruises and bite marks. And that claiming bite on his left shoulder was atrocious! All swollen and purple and bleeding.  _We need ta do something about that bite,_  he thought, as he disentangled the fingers from his fur with a grunt, pinning Jack's hand to his knee to prevent a repeat pulling. " _Don't_  do that again, Mate," Bunny warned. "Look, Ah'm a little sore, but Ah don't think it's any worse'n that."

Jack tried to free his hand, but Bunny held fast, so he had to settle for barking, "You got lucky!"

"Ah did at that," the Pooka purred, bringing Jack's hand to his mouth for a suave kiss, mischievous eyes locked on pools of boiling cerulean.

Jack snatched his hand back. "Shut up! This is serious!" Was he  _really_  saying that? He was Jack Frost - Guardian of  _Fun_  - and he was going on about being serious... to _Bunny_  - the most _serious_  of all the Guardians? Talk about a role reversal.

But Bunny didn't care overmuch. Even  _he_  was allowed to have a little fun once in a while. Besides...  _It was worth it!_ he wanted to yell. Not that he needed to with the Pookan mind meld open. And, oh, how amazing _that_  had been! The sharing of mind, body and emotion. Feeling at once as one, yet separate. Every sensation echoing back on the one who caused it. It had brought consummating their relationship to a whole new level. Made it quite possibly the most intimate, enjoyable experience of their incredibly long lives thus far. Of  _course_ it was worth it.

Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing - Did it even count as hearing when it didn't involve your ears? - Bunnymund acted as though it were nothing.  _"Worth it?_  You could've  _killed_  yourself!"

"Ah knew it was a risk, but how was Ah supposed ta say 'no' ta that kiss?" Aster complained half-heartedly. "If ya'd just kept yer lips ta yerself..." He leaned in, intent on capturing those lips again, but Jack palmed the end of his muzzle, holding his mouth closed and pushing back. "Oh, so now it's my fault?" 

  
 _Was_  it his fault? Jack hadn't exactly said 'no' to Bunny. Not beyond one lame attempt at an objection anyway. The more he thought about it, the more guilty he felt. The Easter Bunny hadn't been the only one who knew his body was in rough shape and at least  _he_  had excessive hormones for an excuse. Granted, Jack had been the world's oldest virgin and pretty hormonal himself, but he should have had more control than that. Yet he had initiated things  _and_  talked himself out of stopping Bunny on more than one occasion. That being the case, wasn't _he_  the one at fault for all this?

"No," Bunny replied to both the question asked and those not, voice muffled. Then, just to knock the foundation out from under the anxiety building in Jack, he extended his tongue and laved the hand covering his nose, causing his partner in crime to squeak and withdraw it again. Mouth now unobstructed, Bunny conceded, "Ah kinda figure we both had a heavy hand in it..," then slipped an arm over the teen's chest and pulled him closer. "...but did ya  _really_  want me ta stop?"

Jack huffed in frustration and laid his head on Bunny's shoulder. "If I'd  _known_  you were in pain, I would have."

"Alright. Ah admit Ah shouldn't'a hidden it from ya. Wouldn't'a made a lick'a difference if ya'd known, though. It didn't start gettin' bad till right before we finished up."

  
“That's not the point...” Jack groaned.  _What **is** the point anymore?  Aster lied to me... and it's annoying, but... we risked Aster's **life**  for  **sex**..._

"Not fer sex, Mate - fer  _you_."

 _He heard all that?! Ugh.._ This thought-sharing thing was certainly going to take Jack a while to get used to. There was just no hiding his internal musings now, but Bunny - no, Aster. Bunny had said his name was actually Aster - liked the link, so he would try to adjust to it. "For...  _me,_ " Jack said with a note of skepticism, not quite sure he believed his ears, even though Aster's emotions seemed to fit what he was saying.

Jack's frustration with the link amused Aster, but he chose not to comment on it. That was one thing about the mind meld - for it to work, sometimes you had to ignore, or tune out completely, your Mate's thoughts. So, instead, he asked Jack, "D'ya think Ah would'a taken that chance with anyone else?"

"How should I know?" Was it true? Was he  _that_  important to Bunny? He - Jack Frost - was worth  _dying_  to fuck?

"Abso-bloody-lutely!" Bunny agreed heartily and Jack slapped his own forehead. He was going to have to ask the Pooka how to control this meld-thing or he was going to lose his mind.

Chuckling, Aster shifted himself so that more of his body was in contact with his Mate's once-again cool skin, stretching a leg across him and hooking a foot behind his knees. The slight chill was a comfortable sensation after such a workout. Like lying in the cool grass of his warren at dusk on Easter Sunday, surrounded by empty baskets.

It was so serene just laying there with Jack, that Bunny found himself on the verge of drifting off, yet there was a pesky something poking at the back of his mind that was keeping him firmly awake. Something he needed to do, or to say or... something.

"What's up, Cottontail? Something bugging you?"

 _Yes,_ something was bugging him. Jack was only going to be there till morning - then he’d be flying off to find Mother Nature. They only had a little while left and they both needed to  _sleep_... But before that happened, Aster had to tell him... tell him...

Aster sat up abruptly as it hit him. He gave Jack a somewhat sad and contemplative look, as though not sure how to address what he needed to say, but knowing he must say it now or risk never getting another chance. Even though he wanted Jack to know this, Aster blocked his current thoughts from him. This was something he wanted to say out loud.

Right away, Jack knew that this was important, even without Aster's thoughts. He would have known even if he couldn't feel it, just based on the way Aster was acting - so he sat up as well and gave his Mate his undivided attention.

"Jack..." Aster started, obviously nervous, "There's somethin' Ah gotta tell ya before ya leave t'morrow... Ah meant ta tell ya before we uh... fooled around." He rubbed the back of his head, looking oddly bashful over mentioning what they had done over the last hour. "Hell, Ah meant ta tell ya forty six years ago..." Aster continued regretfully, eyes on his own lap as he remembered the egg he had been painting. He'd meant it to be for Jack - that egg - as a courting gift. A first move, if you will. Something hand made by him that would show his interest... "But then the blizzard happened... an Ah' was just so damn  _mad!_  Ah lost a lotta believers that year. Took me a long time ta get back ta full strength, an' Ah just couldn't let that grudge go..." He went on as though compelled to do so by some internal need, "But there was somethin' else Ah couldn't let go. Oh, Ah buried it plenty deep under a shit-ton'a resentment an' anger.., but it was always sittin' there... rooted in place... remindin' me'a what Ah lost." And he looked at Jack again as he said, "Remindin' me'a _you_."

Jack’s hands clenched slightly. What about  _him_  was so special that he was called something lost? Bunny lost him? More accurately, he'd lost Bunny. “I already told you… I’m not upset about the blizzard… It was an accident.”

"Ah know ye're not upset about it, but Ah'm still upset at mahself. You  _are_  somethin' special an' Ah missed ya a lot durin' those years but, like Ah said - Ah buried it. Ah didn't want anyone ta know," Bunny explained. "When Ah found out you were chosen as a Guardian, Ah thought it was ridiculous ta expect someone so irresponsible ta protect the children."

Jack hung his head, feeling shamed. So Bunny thought him irresponsible. Who could blame him? He was. He didn’t like ‘hard work and deadlines’. Life was easier when you just… didn’t care.

"Ah don't think ye're irresponsible anymore," Aster hurriedly said to head-off another moment of self-degradation on Jack's part. "Maybe Ah did back then, but not now. Ya've proven otherwise a thousand times over."

"As Ah was sayin' - Ah went ta get ya an',  _damn_ , if ya didn't go an' flash me that irresistible bloody grin'a yers," Aster smiled a bit, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "It brought back all'a that old hurt, though. Ah thought 'Ah come ta get 'im after all'a these years an' 'E acts like nothin' happened?' Ya made it even  _worse_ when ya asked if Ah was still mad about the blizzard. Ah was, but it was more'n that. Ya seemed so damned happy, like ya hadn't even missed me. Ah was expectin' ya ta be sad, er  _mad_  at the very least. Not grinnin' like a drongo boofhead."

“I smiled because it was the first time you’d even looked at me in something like forty four years… I was just  _happy_ to  _see_ you.” Jack shrugged his shoulders. “I missed you… and I only asked because I really… sorta hoped you might have forgiven me after  _half a century_.”

"Ah wish Ah'd realized that a year ago..." Aster lamented. "It wasn't until back in the warren, when ya apologized fer the roo thing... That Ah began ta let it go. That was when the thing Ah buried started growin' again, like a flower, bit by bit it was gettin' bigger.., stronger... but Ah held it back. Ah wouldn't let it bloom."

"Then ya ruined Easter again. Ah thought fer all the world that ya'd made a deal with  _Pitch_  ta get yer teeth back. We  _all_  did. We didn't know Pitch tricked ya. Tooth's fairies clued us in ta that later on. But it was like the blizzard had happened _all over again_. An' Ah was twice as mad."

Twice as hurt too, if  Aster's emotions at the moment were anything to go by. What could Jack say about ruining Easter the second time? That one really  _had_  been his fault. Sure - Pitch had tricked him. Tricked him  _good_ … but Jack had been the one who fell for it. All he could do was try to fix his mistake, try to find Jamie. Seeing Bunny shrunken down had been hard. In that instant, Jack thought that he'd lost all chance of a reconciliation between them. Thank MiM for Jamie...

”Ye're lucky Ah was still just a bit'a mahself when Ah went after ya. Ah was ready ta knock yer block off..," Aster smirked, and this time the smile was more genuine as he mused over how silly he must have looked trying to fight Jack when he was so small and fairly harmless. "...but Jamie told me what ya did fer me an' Ah knew then ya hadn't meant fer Easter ta get ruined again."

"Ah've been sittin' on this for a year now. Ah  _wanna_  tell ya... Ah'm just not sure Ah  _can._.. but Ah gotta make sure ya know before ya leave. Ah just..." Aster paused and tried to gather his courage. "Why is this so hard ta  _say?_ "

Jack chuckled at Aster’s little outburst. “C’mon… You can do it. You can tell me.” He had a hunch he knew where this was going, although he didn’t know how it related to himself leaving to visit Mother Nature. What could go wrong? Did they really think Pitch would end him or something? Jack didn’t anticipate that, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew to be careful.

"Ah've made a  _lotta_ mistakes where ye're concerned, Jack, an' Ah'm gonna make a  _lot_  more. Ah know Ah'm nothin' fancy... an' Ah've got a  _hell_  of a temper... an' Ah can't promise Ah won't pitch a bitch now'n again," he went on, keeping his eyes on Jack's. "What Ah  _can_  promise is that Ah won't yell at ya, lay ya out, an' ignore ya fer forty five again. Well... the ignorin' part anyway.. probably the hittin' ya part too... Unless ya  _want_  me ta..," Aster implied with a wink.

"Ah know Ah'm gonna yell, though. Ah try not ta, but sometimes Ah just can't stop..." he sighed and took a deep breath. "Ah'm gonna do mah best."

Swiftly, Jack leaned forward and pressed his nose against Aster’s. "I  _know_  you will... but that's not what you're trying to say. Spit it out already."

Aster laughed, suddenly feeling much more at ease. At least Jack didn't seem to be mad at him and he definitely wasn't running for the door. Feeling emboldened, he said, "Jack, Mate, there's really no other way ta say this other than ta just  _say_  it..." he started. Then, taking a deep breath, he cupped Jack's cheek, closed the small gap between their mouths and kissed him tenderly. When they parted, there was an unfathomable level of affection in his eyes and a smile on his lips.

"Ah love ya, Jack," Aster confessed at long last.

 _He loves me..._  Jack had suspected as much, but... love? It was a strong word, yet Jack liked the way it sounded on Bunny’s lips, he liked the way it came tumbling off of them after that sweet, romantic kiss and the thrill that caused his heart to race and his head to spin and float all at once. He liked the way he felt in that moment.

It was the  _next_  moment he didn’t like. He wanted to hide it from Bunny, to keep him from hearing his thoughts, but that was a trick that he didn’t yet know. He regretted the wave of anxiety that hit him and the thought,  _Do I love **him?**_ He'd felt a bubble of affection for Bunny for a long time, but he hadn’t ever put a name to it.  _Was_  it love? Why was that thought frightening? Perhaps because love was so… irreversible? Did you ever  _really_  fall out of love with someone? It couldn’t be done. Not when it was true love. You never forget those feelings… He certainly hadn't.

He tilted his gaze back to Bunny and felt shame for those nervous thoughts. No one had ever  _loved_  him before! He’d never been in love, but he was sure now - that's what this was. It was _scary_. It made him feel vulnerable. People tossed around the word 'love’ a lot. Some even said it to things like cars and celebrities they’d never even met! It made him wary of using it. He didn’t want Bunny to think he loved him like a  _car_.. he wanted Bunny to know that this was _real_  love. True love.

Jack was in love with his smirk and his job and his appearance and his silly dialect that didn’t make a lick of sense and  _even_ his anger issues. Jack loved Bunny for who and what he was. He loved him in a way that wouldn’t break… even if Bunny  _did_ ignore him for another forty-plus years.

To watch Bunny's face over the minute it took Jack to think all that, one might suppose he had run the gamut of nearly  _every_  emotion a person could feel. He went from loving, to hopeful, to fear, to concern. His concern turned to joy, then confusion... which became amusement and then mixed with elation. He had to laugh at the random and rapid-fire way Jack's mind had been flickering between thoughts. "Mate! Mate! Slow down!" he chortled. "It's ok. Ah know."

And he did. Aster knew well before Jack gave voice to his feelings, that he was loved in return. Yet his heart still hiccupped and a lump formed in his throat when at last his Mate said, "Alright, but just... let me say this anyway..." then smoothed back his ears and spoke those special words - “I love you, too.”   

Bunny leaned into the touch, a purr escaping him, and he reached out and gathered Jack in for a snuggle. It was a  _wondrous_  thing to him. Not only did Jack love him, but he loved him in spite of... no  _for_  all of his flaws along with his strengths. Lyra had never been quite so accepting of  him. As much as she'd loved him, she didn't like his obsession with eggs and chocolate and she found him to be a work-a-holic. He didn't have the temper back then, not to the level he did today anyway - he steadfastly blamed that on too many forays into eating chocolate and too much time spent around humans. No. In fact, her favorite complaint was that he was too  _proper_. She had always tried to change that in him. It was her goal in life to make him loosen up. If she could see him today...

Yet here was Jack - his handsome, goofy, loving, brave,  _sometimes_  annoying and  _always_  perfect Jack. Jack with those hypnotic blue eyes and that enchanting smile, that wild white hair and that taught, lean body. Jack, who teased Aster and drove him crazy when he was trying to work and who he loved  _all the more_  for it. Jack... who loved  _him_.  _All_  of him, just the way he was. How he'd come to deserve such devotion, he didn't know, but he was oddly thankful that he had gone face down in the pond that morning. If not for that, they wouldn't be here now. Like this.

Then again.., Jack's leaving to find Mother Nature tomorrow might not be looming quite so _ominously_  either, had they not initiated courtship in the first place.

A broad grin settled over Jack's face. He couldn't say he enjoyed being compared to Lyra, but at least it was all complimentary to him. And the rest of it? Jack felt himself swell a little with pride. He loved Bunny, Bunny loved him, and they were together. It was kind of fascinating how earlier that day they’d been just distant friends. A single day could change everything. “I love you… and I’m not going to get hurt tomorrow… So don’t worry so much.”

Though meant to be reassuring, the grip of worry that clutched at Bunny's heart squeezed harder at Jack's words, digging claws of uncertainty ever-deeper and he tightened his arms protectively about his Mate. Determination giving his voice added strength, he asserted, "Ya better not. Ah won't be responsible fer mah actions if someone hurts ya." Then Bunny pulled back to devour Jack with his eyes, wanting to remember this night forever, and his gaze fell again to that shoulder wound. "Well... someone besides  _me_ , that is."

Jack frowned as he too looked over his new Mate. Though Bunny was smiling, he could  _see_  the tired in his ancient eyes, as though his age were showing through. He didn't need the link to tell him how exhausted the rabbit-man was. So, squirming free of his embrace, Jack reached out for his paws, tugging them insistently. "Lay downnnnn,” he murmured as he settled back onto the pillows himself, encouraging Bunny to follow. “You're sick... you need to sleep and so do I."

Still smiling at Jack's antics, Bunny affirmed, "Mate, Ah'm fine. Ah'm really not sick anymore. Ah've got aches in places Ah didn't know Ah had, but Ah'm not sick." Jack was right about the other part, of course. Not that the Pooka would admit it at that moment, but exhaustion and he were becoming old friends. Even with the long nap he'd had earlier in the day, it felt like he hadn't slept in a week.

It didn't help that that was almost true. He'd been sleeping only a few hours a night as Easter neared so that he could have more time to paint. He'd wanted to make his holiday extra big this year to make up for last year's flop, even going to the extent of inventing some new chocolates and other candies and hand-sewing  _tens of thousands_  of plush rabbits to put in some of the baskets. It was a foolish decision. He was fast at these things, but the children would have been just as happy with the usual amount of googies and machine sewn toys. Worse, he'd done it out of fear. He was afraid. Afraid of having another child look so disappointed as they had that Easter and have that disappointment be associated with him. Afraid he'd lose believers again. When that child had walked through him... How had Jack survived three hundred years of that?

So he'd denied himself his body's basic needs, even skipping meals to work. Weakened by lack of sleep and malnutrition, his already depleted condition probably hadn't helped when he'd ventured above ground that morning. As a result, he'd endured quite the ordeal and now his body felt like it had been put through the wringer. Yes, Aster  _desperately_  needed sleep. Yet, in spite of that and in spite of the fact that Jack was again tugging on his paws, Bunny was determined to make perfectly clear the jeopardy he would be in when he left his side in the morning.

"Do me a favor, Mate. Take some precautions tomorrow, yeah? Ya don't know what ye're headed inta an' Ah won't be there ta back ya up. Fer all ya know, it could be a trap."

"You think this is all some elaborate plan of Pitch's to trap _me?_ "

"Him, or Mother Nature. We don't know who we can trust in this. Emily Jane may not be the benevolent spirit ya remember. Fer all we know, they're workin' together."

“ _I. Will. Be. Fine,_ ” Jack assured him once more in carefully measured tones. “Emily Jane - she’s known me for a  _long_ time. We don't talk much, but she’s kinda like North. She keeps tabs on what the fae who work for her are doing."

"Ah know that, Snowflake. Ah report to 'er too. Known 'er a lot longer'n you have."

"Point is… she wouldn’t  _hurt_ me. She wouldn’t hurt a fly - it would ‘upset the balance of nature’. She gets sick when the balance is off.”

"Yeah. Ah  _know_ , but what if Pitch's done somethin' to 'er? E's not just the King of Nightmares. E's also a right dangerous sorcerer who knows some pretty powerful subjugation spells."

"Well, if Pitch  _is_  there… I know how to run.”

"Ah know ya know how ta run, Mate.., but Pitch knows how ta  _hunt_ ," Bunny reminded him. ... _Ah should know_ , he thought, forgetting again that Jack could still hear him. "If 'e sees ya, 'E's not gonna just  _let_  ya leave. So Ah'm gonna worry. It can't be helped considerin'..." Bunny shook that thought away before it could fully form, instead pleading, "Just promise me ya'll be careful?" as he stretched out next to Jack at last.

"Speaking of tomorrow, if North gets mad, I'm  _totally_  blaming you," Jack teased as he began to languidly trace the veins of Bunny's ears once again, and considered asking about that stray thought concerning Pitch. He wasn't sure it was appropriate to do so, but his curiosity was piqued. Well, maybe later. “Nah.. On second thought, blame me … I’m already on the naughty list.”

"Did ya forget that 'e took ya  _off'a_ the naughty list?" Bunny, who was glad he hadn't voiced that question, tilted his head up a bit to grin at Jack. "Although... after tonight, ya just might be back _on it_ ," he snickered. "Ah doubt e's gonna yell at ya too much, though. E's gonna be too busy readin' me the riot act."

"Heh. Yeah... if  _Tooth_  doesn't get to you first."

Aster smirked, then slapped a look of mock-fear onto his face and - clinging and swooning like a damsel in distress - cried, "Oh! Not  _Toothiana!_ What _ever_ will Ah do?  _Save_ me, Jack!", then draped himself dramatically backwards over Jack's arm as though fainting.

"Yeah, yuck it up, Fuzzball, but she's gonna have your  _head_ when she sees my  _neck_."

 _His neck!_ And Aster suddenly hopped out of the bed entirely.

He cleared the distance to the door in a single bound - regretting it for the pain the movement caused - and cautiously opened it a crack. Poking his ears out and listening for a moment, he was half-expecting to find a flock of eavesdroppers on the landing, but was thankful that no sounds of scurrying feet or retreating boots met his investigations. Deciding that the coast was clear, he opened the door further and crept cautiously across the hall to the bathroom.

 _Dammit! I almost had him!_ Jack was only seconds away from getting Aster to go to sleep and now he was off doing who  _knows_  what. “Ughhhhh,” Jack groaned, flopping himself back into the pillows. The fact that Aster had the energy to move at all  _astounded_  Jack. He’d already been tired, and he’d just had some very rough, rowdy sex…

Which his body was beginning to regret. Even though he had been aware of what sex between two males  _meant_  and he had been prepared for the residual ache, Jack wasn't sure his rear would ever forgive him. Not that he wouldn't do it again in a heartbeat, but Bunny wasn't the only one who was wiped out. So drained was Jack - mentally, magically, and physically -, in fact, that he began to drift off himself in Aster's absence.

Across the way, the sounds of soft paws rummaging through cabinets and shelves echoed down the hall as Bunny scoured the washroom for something to fix Jack up. Towels, soaps and more of that peppermint scented body wash.., one whole cabinet seemed dedicated to storing toothbrushes in _all manner_  of size and shape, most likely insisted upon by Tooth, but nothing useful in tending the wounds of one mistreated frost sprite. Search having proved fruitless, Bunny turned to head back to his Mate... And collided with a large, furry wall.

The rabbit-man backed away a step and sneezed. Yeti fur up the nose was an experience he hadn't needed, but that was the  _least_  of his worries. Looking up, he found himself scrutinized by Phil, the  _tattle tale_  of the Yeti’s, who wondered what a certain Pooka was doing out of bed. He grunted quizzically and asked, "Dwbard faso wahtogh urgh wetee?" (What are you up to?)

 "Ah was just... uh... lookin' fer somethin'," Bunny muttered. He tried to go around the massive creature, but Phil remained firmly rooted in place, blocking the exit. He gave Bunny a pointed look. With a roll of his eyes, head following the motion, the Pooka sighed, "Alright. Ah was tryin' ta find a first aid kit. Ah gotta get back ta..."

 Phil eyed Bunny with suspicion and interrupted, "Dwbard wahla  _baddurwah_  burdlew durtal?" (Why do you  _need_  it?)

 "How is that any of your..." Bunny began, but trailed off as the yeti began pounding a fist in his hand. In his current condition, the Easter Bunny did not feel like testing his mettle against the Captain of North's yeti guards, so he relented in his resistance and admitted, "It's for Jack. He had a little...  _accident_."

 Stiffening momentarily, Phil quickly turned and left, bound for North's office, but Bunny headed him off before he hit the end of the hall. "Whoa whoa whoa... It's nothin' we need ta bother _North_  over. Just a cut."

 Of course, Phil wasn't stupid. He could tell by the way Bunny was acting that the injury in question had come about in a rather dubious way. One which St. Nick would most likely be  _very_  displeased with. He considered just getting North anyway, but decided in the end that tattling was best left until  _after_  Jack's wound had been tended to.

Phil frowned at Bunnymund, then told him to, "Badafah dawad." (Stay here.) He continued down the hall, still in the direction of North's office, and Bunny  _almost_  stopped him again, but then he turned into one of the many storerooms on this level and the Pooka breathed a sigh of relief. Phil soon returned, first aid kit in hand and demanded, "Fadahwagh surahdee." (Show me)


	19. In Which the Surprises Just Keep Coming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is full of surprises. Life with an alien rabbit... seems to be nothing but. Every time Jack starts to adjust to one thing, Bunny nails him with a fly ball out of left field. Can he handle all this, or will he crack under the pressure?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Warning for needles.
> 
> \- The Guardians of Childhood; Rise of the Guardians and all characters involved belong to their respective copyright holders. I make no claim to these characters and make no money from this story.

Did the temperature at the pole just drop about thirty degrees, or was that the blood draining from Bunny's entire body making him suddenly colder?

" _Show_  ya? No need fer that, mate. Just gimme the kit an' Ah'll take care'a Jack," Bunny assured the yeti, hand casually slipping through the handle to the non-descript black bag tucked under one tree trunk-like arm. "Ah know what'm doin'." He gave the bag a tug, but it didn't budge. Phil clearly had no intention of cooperating."Look, Ah don' have time fer games. Just gimme the bodgie bag!"

Moving far faster than something his size should be able to, Phil had Bunny in a blink, suspended immobile above the floor by his relatively delicate ears. A flash of searing pain ripped through Bunnymund's scalp, soon embroiling his entire head and shooting down his spine like a harpoon from the heavens. It radiated out to every inch of him, made worse by his already aggrieved condition.  

"AHHHH!!!!! PHIL! YA DIM-WITTED LARIKKAN!! LET GO!!!" Bunny howled in agony. "MAH EARS AREN'T A DAMNED HANDLE!!!" This was unbelievable! How dare Phil lift him by his  _ears!_  It was an affront! The indignity of it! He was the last of the great and proud Pookan Brotherhood, not a damned handbag! The  _only_  person allowed to mess with his ears was Jack and even  _he_ would never do such a thing as this! "PUT ME DOWN!!!"

Phil dropped the rabbit-man to the floor in a scornful, sputtering heap. He couldn't understand what had the Guardian so upset. Honestly! He lifted him for all of five seconds. With a baffled shake of his hairy head, Phil made his way toward the guest suite and his soon-to-be-patient, ignoring the string of curses following him.

Upon arrival, he opened the door and quietly stepped into the room, Aster slipping in behind him - and finding himself with another nose-full of yeti fur. The yeti stood stone still and Bunny felt a brief moment of panic. What was he staring at? Was something wrong with Jack? Well, other than the obvious. He stepped to the side so he could see and soon realized that the shaggy creature's shock was at just that. The obvious. Jack's wounds, which were  _unmistakably_  bites, looked grotesque and painful even from this distance. No wonder Phil had been surprised.

With Phil's next move, it was Aster's turn to be surprised, as he was backhanded in the shoulder and sent stumbling into the doorframe. He let himself slide to the floor, head spinning. This just wasn't his night. Hell, it hadn't been his day either! Everyone and everything seemed to have it in for him. It hadn't even been much of a strike, but Aster took his time in righting himself again. When he did, a cutting retort at the ready, Phil was already approaching the bed and it's groggy occupant.

Jack, who had actually managed to fall asleep, had been jolted to full wakefulness by Bunny's affronted squawk as he collided with the doorframe. Now sitting up, he rubbed his eyes blearily, before catching notice of the aura of severe irritation coming off of Bunny. "Aster, what..?" Jack hoped to MiM that he wasn't the one who pissed his boyfriend off  - then he saw that they had a guest. “Oh! Oh, hey... Phil…” He cast an accusing look at Aster, who was now rubbing his stinging ears, while keeping a resentful eye on the yeti.

“You went to get  _Phil?”_  Jack asked, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Ah went ta get a first aid kit.  _Apparently_  they come with yetis now..," came the responding grumble from Bunny, who was leaning with a deceptively casual air against one corner-post of the bed's canopy, picking at the dirt beneath his claws in feigned disinterest. Jack was not fooled. He could still feel a cloud of anger hovering around his Mate and he couldn't help but wonder what the yeti had done to trigger such a response.

Said yeti was presently laying out gauze and bandages and various medical tools on the ornately carved nightstand next to Jack's side of the bed. Muttering in his native tongue about irresponsible rabbits, he began to rub ointment into the smaller bites and scratches, causing Jack to wince.

Jack was suddenly  _very glad_  that he had had the forethought to cover his lower body with the sheets after Bunny left. He fidgeted nervously, hoping that Phil wasn't planning a full-body examination. The teen didn't like the thought of him seeing him naked. Not that Phil would care - he doubted the yeti was bothered by a little thing like nudity - but Jack was from a time when such things were deeply frowned upon, thus the idea of anyone but Bunny seeing him in his birthday suit appalled the winter sprite. Inwardly, he was amused by what he had just admitted to himself. How curious that he no longer felt any shame in  _Bunny_  seeing him naked. Two days ago, the story would have been different.

From his position at the foot of the bed, Bunny couldn't help but smirk a bit at Jack's thoughts, a way to help Jack relax coming into his head. Bunny flexed his arms a little tighter... turned so that he faced Jack, shoulder against the post... lifted a foot to rest on the bed... and clenched his abdominal muscles, blatantly showing off for his Mate.

Blue eyes returned to Bunny and began to wander up and down the unclothed rabbit. Bunny smiled to himself. Distraction achieved.

Though he was aware of his game, Jack had no qualms about admiring his boyfriend. It was sort of… intriguing. Aster was naked - constantly naked. He didn’t wear clothes  _ever_. Sure, he often wore his bracers and bandolier, but… how interesting, and somewhat unfair, that he didn’t need to wear clothes. There were perks, however. It  _did_  mean that Jack was able to look upon his Mate in all his glory whenever he felt like it... and, if he truly wanted to, he could expose  _more of him_ , simply by riling him up.

Aster caught his gaze, smiling proudly when he didn't look away. Yes, Jack was clearly watching him and he wasn't shy about it anymore. That alone spoke volumes of the changes in their relationship. For a short while, the Pooka simply enjoyed the feeling of Jack checking him out, puffing up under the heat of his appraisal... of his desire. It soon proved folly as, with the way his Mate was looking at him and the thoughts bouncing around in his mind, the ' _more of him_ ' Jack was thinking about was on the verge of exposing itself.

It clicked with Aster in that instant that, with the post-Easter rutting season nearly upon him, he may need to entertain the thought of revisiting his old habit of wearing a robe, at least around Jack, until his urges were more under control. That would come about sometime in early summer after the rut had passed. He wasn't fond of robes these days, but it was better than risking exposing himself around the other Guardians. It had never been a problem in the past, since he hadn't gone through a true rut since long before ever meeting them, a Mate's presence being required to trigger it. Still, he decided against the robe in the end, not wanting to give Jack yet another thing to tease him about. He would just have to make sure they got a lot of  'alone time' to counter his urges.

Thankfully, he was able to fight the 'beast' back into its 'cage' before it poked its head out, although that little coil of arousal Jack had reawakened sat firmly planted in his abdominals.  _Dammit, Jack! Ah can't concentrate when ya look at me like that,_  he thought to him as he crawled onto the other side of the bed next to the teen. How his body was ready to go again already, Aster had no idea, but they couldn't afford another round. If they tried, he felt certain another bout of heatstroke wouldn't be far behind.

Jack smirked and lowered his eyes demurely when Bunny ‘scolded’ him.  _Look at you like **what**?_  he asked even though he knew exactly what Bunny meant. How could he  _not_  look at him like that? Bunny was  _his -_ after all these years of waiting.  Did he really expect Jack to restrain himself  _now?_

As he watched Jack, Aster found his thoughts once again drifting to tomorrow morning and his imminent departure. He had to keep telling himself that Jack would be fine. That his nagging fear was more hormones than it was premonition. That it wouldn't even be a concern if his rut wasn't starting, but he was failing miserably.

Though he hid these thoughts from Jack, seeing little sense in starting up the 'I'm worried' - 'Don't worry' conversation again, Aster couldn't keep the tormented haze out of his eyes, nor Jack from noticing it.  It reminded Jack of that stray thought he'd been curious about earlier. Unfortunately, with Phil here he was now trapped in a scenario where he couldn’t ask about it. Or… could he? Perhaps this was a good opportunity to see just how well this mind meld thing truly worked.

 _I know Pitch did something to you when you were younger_ , Jack began, directing his thoughts to Bunny, eyes unwavering,  _But whatever it is - even if you never tell me, it’s **over**. You're safe now, and as long as I’m around, you’ll stay that way._

 _It aint me Ah'm worried about, Mate - An' Ah wanna tell ya, but not right now..._  Bunny silently replied. He glanced sidelong at Phil, then continued,  _When we're alone._  Though he could speak to Jack this way, Aster knew that relating that particular tale to his Snowflake would be a harrowing experience and he did not want an audience should he prove unable to keep his emotions in check.

_I **promise**  to be careful._

Jack's words were like a sweet balm. It was an amazing thing to not only hear those words, but to also feel the intense conviction behind them. Jack was determined to return home safely and it made Bunny feel a great deal better, even though it was no guarantee.  _Ta, Mate,_  he thanked him simply, conveying more with his emotions than his words.

_Tell me when you're ready - it’s alright. I can wait._

Jack offered him a warm smile, but a grunt of annoyance followed by an angry growl brought Aster's attention back to Phil, who was now examining the worst of the bites. He fixed them both with a stern glare and shook his head reproachfully.

Aster became concerned as the yeti reached into the first aid kit and removed a syringe and a bottle of anesthetic. "What's up, mate?"

For his trouble, he received another cuff to the shoulder from Phil, who told him, "Dwbard fadosagassah!!! Dabogagh tuamodah sasagee!" Bunny flinched at the harsh words, half-expecting another well-deserved blow,  and swallowed nervously, guilt enveloping both his face and his mind as he told Jack, "He says it needs..," he fidgeted with his hands, before dropping the bomb of, " _stitches._ " More specifically, Phil had said, "You imbecile!!! This needs sewing!" Cringing as Jack's impromptu nurse filled the needle, Aster recounted, "Told ya Ah went overboard on that one."

Eyes fixed on the needle, a burst of fear filled Jack, hitting Aster by surprise. He'd expected that he would be mad at him, but afraid? No.. terrified?! He could feel his Mate's fear almost as though it were his own and his eyes went wide with it. His heart hammered in his chest and his breaths became short and fast. This was not good. Jack was panicking and now so, too, was Aster. Needing to deal with this without Jack's fear causing him to want to bolt, he suddenly closed the link completely. His vitals quickly returned to some semblance of normal, although he was still worried for Jack.

Jack tilted his line of vision back to Bunny. He'd felt that. Or, more to the point, he'd stopped feeling it - stopped feeling Bunny in his mind - and he supposed, incorrectly, that Bunny was avoiding the upcoming pain. It didn't help his racing pulse at all. “Stitches?” he asked, going somehow paler than he already was. "C'...C'mon. You're joking, right? Nice one, guys. You got me. I don’t  _really_  need stitches.”

"Wrong, Snowflake. This isn't a joke."

“I can’t - I mean... What's the syringe for?” Jack didn’t want to sound like a child afraid of needles, but… he was like a child afraid of needles.

"It's an anesthetic, Mate," Bunnymund told him in a voice kept carefully steady, "It'll take the pain away."

Jack shook his head rapidly. He'd never had a shot before and he saw no reason to start now. “Pills take away pain - I’d rather take a pill. Do I really need a shot?”

Taking Jack's hand to give him something reassuring to hold onto, Aster looked to Phil in hopes there was a pill he could be given instead. Anything to make this easier. The yeti only shook his head solemnly. There was no getting out of this.

With a resigned sigh, Aster pulled the frightened teen into his lap, Jack dragging the sheet with him so as not to be exposed, and wrapped his arms securely around him. At first Jack thought it was sweet. Aster was trying to calm him, and he melted into those arms a little. That is until Bunny’s grip tightened, like a furry straight jacket and he realized he was being restrained."It's ok," Aster crooned gently, "Take it easy, Jack. Ah'm here with ya."

Phil approached him with that needle that he believed was destined for his neck and his panic climbed the walls. "I’ve  _never_  had a shot - or  _any_  kind of needles - I… Aster, I don’t…” He took a deep breath and hid his face in the crux of Aster's neck, not wanting to look.

At Bunny's nodded assent, Phil bent over them with the now-filled syringe to give Jack the injection. Bunny tucked Jack's head under his chin, enfolding him as securely as he could and still leave the yeti room to access the shoulder wound. "Calm down, Snowflake. Ah promise, ye're gonna be  _ok_. It's just a quick little poke and then the pain goes away," he said softly.

The yetis' huge hand moved in, targeting not Jack's neck as he'd feared, but the tissue around the edges of the bite. He pressed the point of the needle into the torn flesh and injected a small amount of the contents, then removed it. Bunnymund began to relax his hold, thinking the task over, but the yeti moved to another point near the injury and did it again, causing him to have to retighten his grip. "What the  _Hell_ , Phil?!" Bunny complained, but Phil just huffed his annoyance and kept at it, Bunny returning to consoling a cringing, shivering Jack the whole while. Three more spots and  _finally_  the yeti backed off, allowing them a few minutes to relax and for the drug to take effect.

"Ok, Mate. The hard part's over. Yer shoulder's gonna get numb now an' then Phil'll patch ya up," Aster promised, stroking Jack's hair. "No worries. She'll be apples."

“That is the  _stupidest_  thing I’ve ever heard,” Jack muttered. “ _She’ll be apples_  - why? Why not peaches or strawberries?" It wasn’t that he was trying to be mean. Jack just wasn’t prepared for this. The bites - he’d loved them. Loved them a lot. He just wasn’t fond of what was happening  _now_. Jack took a shaky breath and sighed, rubbing his cheek against Bunny’s fur, glad for the small reprieve as, slowly, the medicine began to take the desired effect - a tingling sensation first, and then nothing. He pressed further into Bunny’s arms as another touch of fear prodded him. The last time he had felt numbness of any kind, he'd been drowning - freezing water biting at his skin - not unlike that needle had.

Jack pushed the fear down and griped instead, "I don’t even  _like_  apples. Why would she be anything but herself? It doesn’t even make sense.”

Bunnymund knew Jack was attacking his Australian colloquialisms just then, but it didn't bother him in the slightest. He preferred this to the thrashing, screaming and crying he'd half-expected. He should have remembered who it was he now held in a tight embrace. This was Jack Frost. He was strong, intelligent, proud, brave and one hell of a smart-mouth. He was obviously afraid of the shots, but he wasn't about to let it turn him into a blubbering baby in front of his Mate and Phil. His Jackie was better than that.

The reaction was so far-removed from what Bunny had braced for that he actually found Jack's jibes rather amusing. With a relieved chuckle, he admitted, "Ah don't actually know, Jackie. It's just strine. It's not  _supposed_  ta make a whole lotta sense." The Pooka loosened his grip a bit, shifting so his paws laid on the sprite's chest and Jack's lower arms regained the freedom to move. As he did so, he told Jack, "Ya should be thankin' MiM Ah don't use  _rhymin' strine_. Now  _that's_  some confusin' chatter."

“What’s ‘rhyming strine’?” Jack asked, bringing his hands up to lay on top of Aster's and curling his fingers to grip them.

"Rhymin' strine is... uh.. best way is ta just let ya  _hear_  it, Ah guess," Aster shrugged. Thinking for a moment, a sly grin crossed his face. "Try this on fer size - If it's yer Wally Grout an' ya give me a young 'n frisky in a pig's ass, Ah just might drink it, but it'll be yer fault if Ah'm Molly the Monk after an' Ah gotta call a Joe Baxi," Aster rattled off like it should actually make sense, then busted up laughing at the thought of how ridiculous he sounded. There was a reason he'd never really bought into the whole rhyming strine thing. It made a person really hard to understand. Of course, most didn't use that much of it in a single sentence, but hey, it was a demonstration.

Jack stared blankly at Bunny. The nonsense spewing forth from his Mate was so absurd that he forgot about the stitches for the moment and laughed out loud along with him. Sadly, though it helped to break the tension in the air, it didn't last long. Phil was returning now, scissors, needle and surgical thread in hand and Bunny felt Jack stiffen again.

Thinking fast, Bunny commented, "Ah didn't know ya don't like apples," as Phil began to suture the wound. Since talking seemed to be an effective distraction and he was curious anyway, why not keep the conversation going?

“I don’t _hate_  them or anything. I just like… sweeter things. Peaches and strawberries, oranges, plums…. most fruits.” Jack flinched at the tug to his skin. He could feel it only  _around_  the numbed area, not  _in it_  and nothing of the needle puncturing his skin. That made him nervous. He was  _supposed_ to feel it. He would have preferred the pain over this unfamiliar sensation.

"Is there anythin' else ye're fond of?" Bunny probed, hoping to return Jack's attention to him. "Anythin' else ya like? Not just fruit, either. Ah mean foods in general." While he _was_  primarily keeping Jack's mind off the situation at hand, the first cut now half-sewn, Aster was also making a mental list. It would prove useful in the future should he ever wow Jack with his culinary prowess.

What Bunny was doing… Jack recognized it. He’d done it himself for Sophie last summer _._  Talked to her while her mother cleaned up a ‘boo boo’. Was this not the same thing? “Next time don’t bite so hard,” Jack muttered. He wasn’t about to have stitches every time he laid with his Mate. In fact, he'd prefer to never do this again.

Jack's words were innocuous enough, but he'd  _sounded_  scared. Phil was on the second puncture and, as the thread began tugging at his skin again, Aster felt his Mate press his face deeper into his dense fur. His body was once again tense and his breathing accelerating. Aster didn't need the link to know Jack was beginning to panic again. "Jack. Hey, Jackie. Calm down, Mate. Never mind what Phil's doin'." He took Jack's chin in hand and forced him to look at his face. "What about foods other'n fruit? Veggies? Pasta? Meats? Anythin' along those lines?" he tried asking, but to no avail. Jack was too freaked out. Not-so-stimulating conversation no longer working, it was time for a  _new_  distraction.

"Snowflake, just... focus on me, a'right?" Bunny breathed. Then he planted a kiss on Jack's lips, right in front of the blasted tattle-tale yeti. He could suffer a little embarrassment for this. If it got back to North, so be it.

Jack relaxed into the soft but insistent kiss. It was nothing like the bites and raw, erotic kisses from earlier in the evening... but that didn’t matter. This was the first kiss they'd shared that was pure love. No sexual intent. Just a deep and enveloping affection… this was more than he’d dreamed of. Jack reached up and brushed his thumb over the fur of Aster's neck as their tongues mingled and he sighed into the kiss.

Cocking an eyebrow at their actions, Phil otherwise kept quiet about it. Tattle-tale, he may be when the Guardians were breaking the rules, but this wasn't something North had forbade, so it was none of his business. He didn't think they would go very far with him in the room. At least, last he knew neither of them had exhibitionist tendencies.

Luckily for Phil, he was right on that count. Although one grey paw did slide down to rest on Jack's abdomen, it went no further than that. Aster did a good job of keeping his Mate's mouth busy for the entire remainder of the procedure, kneading his belly gently all the while. Thankfully, the yeti was highly skilled and very fast, taking only a few minutes, but still. Bunny could count that among the longer kisses of his very-long life.

The last stitch was put into place and Jack was more than a little grateful that it was over. He pulled his mouth back and nuzzled his head under Aster's chin. “I know what you’re doing, Roo… Thanks,” he mumbled, as Phil applied a bandage over the now-closed wound.

Aster gazed down lovingly at Jack and smiled. "Anytime, Mate. All better now?" he asked.

"I think so," Jack replied, fingers gingerly inspecting the bandage.

"Sorry Ah hurt ya, Snowflake. Ah don' mean ta make excuses, but... uh..," Aster began to explain - however, it was hard to say exactly what he wanted to with Phil still in the room. Looking over at the hairy mass by the bed, Bunny watched as he meticulously packed up the first aid kit, making certain every piece was neat and tidy and taking what felt to Aster like  _forever_  in doing so. He didn't  _seem_ to be listening, but then this was Phil. He had a knack for pretending to be disinterested and then reciting entire overheard conversations unexpectedly and at the worst possible moments. Bunny was taking no chances.

"Phil? D'ya mind takin' an early mark? Ah gotta talk ta Frostbite here."

Clearly exasperated at being rushed out of the room, Phil rolled his eyes, stuffed the rest of the items he'd removed back into the bag haphazardly, locked it and swept from the room, looking for all the world like an overgrown animated bush with an attitude.

Soon the yeti was down the hall and away, Bunny listening carefully to be sure he was well and truly gone. Then he sighed and turned back to Jack. "Ya know where he's goin' yeah?" Running a paw over his head, Bunny huffed again and said, "Knowin' North, he'll want us to get some sleep, so Ah'm guessin' we've got till mornin'. Although Ah'm bettin' it'll be the wakeup call of a lifetime."  

“Yeah… it’ll be a rude awakening, alright,” Jack chuckled. “But it was worth it.”

The rabbit-man shifted Jack in his lap so that he was facing him with his legs around his waist, although being careful to keep certain parts from touching. No need to start things he can't finish at the moment. Though it was a comfortable position, Jack was worried. He had seen the way Bunny ushered Phil out, and he was convinced that meant serious talks were coming. It made him wish the mind meld were still open.  If it were, he'd have a better idea what was going through Bunny's mind. Then again, Bunny would also know  what was going through  _his_ head, and Jack wasn't so sure that was a good idea right now.

Catching the distracted sprite's gaze again, Aster began to explain his actions. "Ah just wanted ta let ya know that... well... not ta say Ah  _meant_  ta do it, but there's a reason Ah bit ya as hard as Ah did. See, it's been," he paused, trying to calculate the years, before finally giving up with a dismissive wave of his hand and continuing, "..doesn't matter how long, but a  _real_  long time. Ah haven' been  _with_  anyone since Ah lost Lyra. She was mah Mate way back durin' the Golden Age."

“I'm sorry… that she’s gone,” Jack whispered. Well, he was.., but he wasn't. He was sorry for Aster's loss, but if she wasn't gone, he would never have had a snowball's chance in hell with Aster. That was something he didn't want to contemplate.

Bunny's eyes took on a far-away look. "Ta, Mate. Ah really appreciate that," he thanked the young man who had so quickly become just as important to him as Lyra had ever been. He missed her and their daughter dearly, but there was nothing to be done for it and now? Now he had a new Mate to be here with him. It didn't take away the hurt, but it maybe pushed it aside a little.

“And I’m sorry you had to wait so long…" Jack chuckled, “I got here as fast as I could. As it is you’re a cradle robber."

"Mate, Ah'm older'n dirt. Ah could settle down with  _North_  an' Ah'd still be cradle robbin'," was Aster's dry response to Jack's stab at his age. "If Ah tried ta find someone as old as Ah am, Ah'd be at it fer all eternity."

Bunny realized then that Jack had once again managed to distract him,  _the sneaky little boofhead_ , so he steered the conversation back to what he'd been trying to explain, "Anyway, as Ah was sayin', Ah was pretty deprived before we... uh..." and he paused again - ... _mated... Jack's mah Mate - Holy shit! That's official now_  - a dawning look on his face curving slowly into an excited smile. "Jack, we  _mated._  D'ya know what that  _means?!_ "

“Um… it means we had sex,” Jack answered, before pulling Bunny’s face to his in another kiss, much like the one they shared while Phil was present, but with a bit more of that lust from earlier behind it. He wasn’t trying to start anything, of course, his body just wasn’t up for that sort of treatment again… Still, it  _had_  been, “ _Really good_ sex.”

"Well, yeah, it was some pretty great sex," Aster agreed, cheeks warming at the memory. "...but that's not what Ah meant..." He reached out cautiously, as though afraid Jack might recoil from him, and took his hands in paw. Aster's heart was racing, only this time it had nothing to do with heatstroke or physical 'activity'. He had no idea how Jack would take this. It was yet another thing, he realized, that he'd forgotten to mention  _before_ they'd started said mating.

Letting out the breath he'd been holding, he looked deep into Jack's eyes and told him, "It means... that we're  _Mates_  now,  _officially_. Ah don't mean mates as in friends, either. Ah mean  _Mates_." He emphasized the last word, trying to get across the full implication behind his statement. When it seemed that may not be enough, he rephrased it, "Mates, for Pooka... is.. it's kinda like bein'  _married_  for humans. We don't usually have a ceremony or anythin'. Just the Joinin... er... first matin'... an' the two of us..." He swallowed a bundle of nerves which seemed have become lodged in his throat, took a deep, steadying breath and finished in an uncertain, almost meek voice, "...just had our first matin'."


	20. In Which Hurt, Unintentional and Otherwise, is Many-sourced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Married. Possibly the scariest word Jack has ever heard Bunny speak. But why? What's so scary about being married to the Easter Bunny? And why is it so hard just to get a little shut eye?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Since I was asked what Aster said in rhyming strine, I thought I would put the translation here for you all. He said: "If it's yer Wally Grout an' ya give me a young 'n frisky in a pig's ass, Ah just might drink it, but it'll be yer fault if Ah'm Molly the Monk after an' Ah gotta call a Joe Baxi." Which translates to: "If it's your shout. (AKA - Your turn to buy the booze) and you give me a whisky in a glass, I just might drink it, but it'll be your fault if I'm drunk after and I have to call a taxi."
> 
> \- NSFW Warning for (nightmare) violence and rape. If you wish to skip the nightmare, do not read the part of this chapter between the two lines composed of these ~~~~~~~~~
> 
> \- The Guardians of Childhood; Rise of the Guardians and all characters involved belong to their respective copyright holders. I make no claim to these characters and make no money from this story.

 

* * *

Married...

 **"Married?!"** Jack coughed out in a gasp. That was a really, REALLY strong word. It sank into his gut like a stone in a creek. "Married?  _Seriously?!"_  He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say! Which was a good thing since he wasn't really given the chance to respond right away, the rest of Aster's muddled explanation coming spilling out in a rush.

"Ah'm sorry ta spring it on ya like this. Ah keep forgettin' ye're not a Pooka... Ah mean, of course ye're not a Pooka. But Ah forget ya don't know this stuff. Ah really didn't mean ta rope ya inta somethin' ye're not ready for an' Ah know it's not a human tradition, so ya can back out if... ya... w-want... ta..." Boy, did Aster ever hope he didn't want to.

Jack was at his wits end. He had just given Bunny something precious - three hundred years of virginity was nothing to shake a stick at - but he'd expected love and cuddles, not stitches and serious commitments. And Aster seemed so desperate for him to say yes, but this was a lot to take in after all that had already happened that day. Too much, in fact. "Ok. Hold the phone here. Let's just back up a step. What happened to proposing? Never mind that - what happened to  _dating?_ "

"Ah know this's kinda sudden..."

" _Kinda_ sudden? Are you  _kidding me?!"_ Jack sputtered, abruptly getting up from the bed and pacing the room as he went on, _"_ We were barely even friends this morning! Now you're telling me we're  _married_  and, what... I'm just supposed to  _accept_  that?!"

Too tired to get out of bed at this point, Bunny could only follow with his eyes as Jack repeatedly walked a somewhat erratic oval between the bed and the door, arms flying this way and that, gesturing with his agitation. "No... Ah don't expect ya ta accept it just like that. Ah didn't exactly  _plan_  fer this ta happen."

"Oh, that's nice. That helps a  _whole_  lot." Jack was already antsy just from figuring out that he was in love. A love the strength of which scared him. He feared for himself... that he might not measure up to a Pooka Mate - it seemed he was already failing in that department - or that he might do something to mess it up, like he was prone to, but worse was his fear for Bunny. He was afraid of hurting him. Tied to Bunny's love was an intense fear of loss. Should he die or reject Bunny... North had been right in telling Jack that he had the power to destroy the Easter Bunny. Yet, knowing this, and even though his own love mirrored his Mate's in strength and tenacity, to now find out that he'd just unwittingly  _married_  him... Jack couldn't believe this was really happening. No -  _had_  really happened. They were really married, at least according to Pooka tradition.

But that was his back door, wasn't it? His way out. It wasn't a human tradition or even a fae tradition. He could still say no. Did he  _want_  to say no? In one day, could he  _really_  go from nothing, to dating, to mating, to admitting their feelings, to... to...  _married?_  "How did this happen? Why didn't you warn me?"

"Ah told ya, Mate. Ah just forgot," Aster shrugged helplessly.

"Is there anything  _else_  you  _just forgot_  that I should know about? I'm not gonna get pregnant or something now, am I?"

"Have ya cracked a fruity? Ah can't get ya preggers. Ya'd need a uterus fer that."

"Thank MiM for small favors," Jack muttered under his breath. Being married was already too much. He certainly wasn't ready for kids. Not that he actually thought that was even possible. Still, he needed to think this over. He knew he wanted to be with Bunny. That was an absolute. What he  _didn't_  know was how committed he was willing to become. Could he really  _marry_  him? That was a lot to ask of Jack Frost. He was a wild spirit! To settle down would be... hard. He doubted he could stay put for one week, let alone forever.

Finally calmed enough to return to Aster's side, Jack dropped heavily on the bed and leaned against the headboard with a sad smile. Turning that smile to Aster, he took a deep breath to say, "Okay. How do I put this..?"

And the look spoke volumes to Aster, telling him so much more than the vague words. The ramifications of it caused his heart to pound ever harder, his throat to feel like it was closing and his eyes to sting. Jack looked sympathetic. Only someone who was about to cause hurt and felt bad about it made that face. He found himself once again bracing for rejection, yet hoping he was wrong.

Jack looked into those fathomless eyes that were watching him, shining with hope and fear, and felt a stab of regret for his inability to just say 'yes' right then and there. "You kinda caught me off guard," he began, leaning in to nuzzle Bunny's cheek. "and I really don't know how I feel about this yet.., but I'm not saying no."

Bunny leaned into the comfort of Jack's nuzzle and clung to those words like a life preserver. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply to quell his rising disappointment and fear, the rabbit repeated,  _E's not sayin' no... E's not sayin' no... E's not sayin' no..._ over and over in his mind, while continuing to listen to Jack.

"I  _love_  you, Bunny, but... can you just... give me a little while to process this?" Jack asked. "Can we just sleep together? Like, actually sleep? Let everything calm down a little? ...Please?"

It was important that Bunny know Jack loved him. He did. With all his heart. He was just very… _aware_ … that marriage was permanent. He was very,  _very_  aware of it.

Wrapping Jack's affirmation of love around him like a blanket, Aster nodded. Maybe he would be ok. As long as Jack wasn't saying 'no', he would be ok. He had to be strong right now. If he reacted badly, he might push Jack toward rejecting him and that would break him. If his Mate... well... almost-Mate?... wanted time to think about this, he had to give him that time. He had to be understanding here. Jack was right. It  _was_  a shocker. Like waking up after a party, having no idea how you got there, never even having been  _given_  an invitation and then being told you have to clean up the mess.

Finally, Aster opened his eyes and nodded slowly, "Alright, Snowflake... Ah understand," he said softly. "Just... don't keep me waitin' too long." Then gave his beloved a tight hug and let out a shaky breath.

The embrace was warm, safe… Jack closed his eyes, sighing softly once more and he brought his arms up to hug him back, just as tight, just as safe. He knew his answer wasn't what Bunnymund had wanted, but he was thankful for the chance to just think. He took another deep breath and nodded his head as Bunny released him. "I just need a little while. A day or so. That's all."

"Ok. Ah can live with that," Aster agreed, though he sounded far less sure than his words let on. His movements wooden, he slowly settled himself down on his back beneath the fresh, clean covers and wondered for a moment when Phil had changed them. "Ah am pretty nackered," he admitted, holding out his arm in invitation for Jack. "Let's get some rest while we can, yeah?"

Jack scooted under the covers and pillowed his head on Aster's bicep, draping his arm across his chest as Bunny pulled him in close. He huffed a resigned sigh. His world had been turned upside down so many times today, Jack no longer knew which way was up. It was just too much to take in at once… He was just one person, physically just a 'teenager', and scared. Scared of commitment, scared of love, scared of loss. "Goodnight, Bunny," he whispered, and he closed his eyes. Sleep would be his salvation.

Swallowing again as the sting returned to his eyes, Bunnymund stroked Jack's hair lovingly, kissed the crown of his head, then softly reminded him to, "Call me Aster," and, his own words harkening back to their mating, a tear slipped unobserved down his cheek. Right now, that was a memory that stung. "Goodnight, Ma... Jack," he whispered, breath catching on the half-spoken title.

Jack's eyes snapped open again and his heart clenched. He had thought Aster understood that he just needed some time - until he heard him catch on that title. He'd just stopped. Stopped mid-title, to instead call him Jack. That hurt. It twisted like a knife inside.., but he let it pass. Surely it was a one-time thing. Aster was just upset right now. Surely he wasn't going to stop calling him that... right?

He suddenly felt very alone - and that wasn't all. He also felt sad, yet happy and cheated, yet somehow satiated and threatened, yet safe. So many conflicting emotions and Bunny had expected him to make a choice now? It just wasn't possible. So here he was, laying in Aster's arms, and the Pooka was his everything . His friend, his mentor, his lover, maybe even his 'husband'. His Aster - his star - and yet he had managed to mess it up. Mess it up like he  _always_  did because he was Jack Frost! It was practically his  _job_  to mess things up.

The evidence was there in every breath Aster took. Each came as a gasp and a sigh, held for long moments in between. Aster was trying to calm himself down enough to sleep, but sleep was eluding him. Tomorrow Jack would be leaving to find Mother Nature. Heading out to who knows where and he couldn't follow. No one could, she being rather particular about her guests.

What would happen if Jack found Pitch instead? Could he really just out-run him? Would the clothing North was making for Jack be enough to protect him? Aster's thoughts kept flipping between Jack's safety and their unstable Mate-hood, swirling like a broken record. He knew Jack hadn't said 'no' but, just the same, he hadn't said 'yes' either. He was going to take a few days to think it over and that meant he was undecided. That meant there was still a chance he could decide against it. He could  _still_  say no.

No such answer, nor any other, would be coming tonight, however. Jack didn't know when he fell asleep… but it was sometime while Bunny was still tracing his paw over him, petting him. It was like… even though he had closed their mind link, even though he was upset, Bunny was still trying to calm him. Jack wished that connection was open, wished it desperately, because it would have cured the loneliness he felt. If it were open, maybe Bunny would have understood the fear and confusion, recognized that Jack loved him unconditionally, and would have understood he only wanted some time to adjust to the idea of marriage. It was these thoughts which ferried Jack into unconsciousness, soon joined by Aster who, eyes drifting closed and breathing taking on a more normal rhythm as exhaustion took its toll, also fell into a fitful sleep.

Unseen, the shifting of shadows... Unheard, a malicious chuckle... Unknown, a figure beneath the bed... Unaware, the Pooka twitched and clutched his would-be Mate closer as the nightmare took hold...

 _Running. Running through tunnels green as spring grass. Following the sound of laughter. Horrible, mocking laughter. It was Pitch. Bunny had been right all along and now... now Pitch had Jack. He ran till his lungs burned, till his paws bled, till his muscles begged him to stop, and still he kept on running - but to no avail. The tunnel just kept going as though he were running in place, the laughter echoing all around him, mixed with taunting words... "Jack is_ _**mine** _ _now!" Pitch cackled. "He never wanted you in the first place! Who would? You're not a human! You're a Pooka! The last of your kind. You will_ _**never** _ _find a Mate! I made sure of that!"_

_And then the ground dropped out from under him and he was falling through the sky. He hit hard, though what he hit, he wasn't privy to. It felt as though every bone in his body had shattered. Dragging himself to his feet, he took in his surroundings. It was a beautiful tropical wood that somehow floated, like an island in the air. A gleeful cackle, the voice familiar, but not, called his attention to the sky. He looked up... and froze in shock._

_The one laughing now was not Pitch, but_ _**Jack!** _ _Only he didn't look quite like Jack. He wore a black hooded cape over a black and gold robe and his staff was a dark grey and covered in thorns. Worse than all that, as if it weren't bad enough, was his face. Twisted it was into an evil sneer, teeth showing and sharp as a cats'. His hair was black, his eyes gold, his skin as grey as Pitch's._

_"JACK!" Bunny cried up at him, "Ah'm here ta take ya home!"_

_The black Jack apparition smirked and replied, "Silly rabbit! This_ _**is** _ _my home!"_

_"You see?!" Pitch jeered, "He is mine! I am the only family he needs!"_

_"What?! No!" the Pooka denied, "What about North and Tooth and Sandy? What about_ _**me?** _ _What about_ _**us?** _ _We mated! We're_ _**Mates** _ _now!"_

 _"I never_ _**AGREED** _ _to that!" Jack shouted back, clearly affronted by the very idea._

_Bunny's face fell and he tried to remind Jack, "Ya said ya weren't sayin'..."_

_Narrowing his eyes menacingly, the pseudo Jack stated firmly, "_ _**No!** _ _My. Answer. Is._ _**NO!"** _ _And he waved a curt good-bye..._

 _Then the Easter Bunny was falling again, those heartbreaking words replaying on loop in his mind._ _**My answer is no. My answer... is no. My answer...** _ _"_ _**NO!** _ _" Aster yelled, reaching for the tiny receding dot above him that was..._

 _Replaced with a dark cave. Aster was bound and gagged, tied by something intangible to a pillar of stone, the cavern lit only by the faint red-orange glow of distant lava. Aster couldn't see very well at first, but he could hear and what he heard was making him sick. Jack was moaning and, from the sound of it, it was out of_ _**pleasure** _ _. There was another voice, grunting and panting and then Pitch was saying, "He's here Jack. He's watching us. Shall we make it_ _**entertaining** _ _for him?" As Aster's eyes finally adjusted to the dim gloom, he saw in front of him that all-wrong Black-Jack... and Pitch... in the throes of intense passion._

 _Pitch sneered at the Pooka from his position over a prone and clearly enraptured Jack, as he ass-raped him with extreme prejudice, while giving him one of the most painful-looking hand-jobs Aster had ever seen! Pitch yanked on him, squeezed his balls near to bursting, raked sharp claws down his length, leaving bloody trails and Aster nearly vomited. The teen was loving every second of it! How could this be_ _**Jack?** _ _**His** _ _Jack? He wanted to look away. MiM, how he wanted to look away, but black tendrils of shadow held his head in place and pinned his eyelids open._

 _"Do you like this rabbit?" Pitch commented, seeing that Bunny had developed a raging hard-on. "Do you_ _**like** _ _watching as I claim your Mate for my own?"_

 _Bunnymund wanted to tear Pitch to pieces in that moment. NO, he did_ _**not** _ _like this! Not at all! Why was his body reacting this way? He wanted to get Jack the hell out of there, not_ _**join in!** _ _Eyes still pinned open, he was unable to stop the tears which now leaked out to soak the fur of his cheeks - just as he was unable to stop what was happening before him. And it only got worse. He thrashed against his fearling bindings as Pitch began to bite Jack, in the same places where he himself had bitten him. But Pitch did not stop at a love bite, no. Pitch was actually taking bites_ _**out of** _ _Jack!_

Jack woke to Bunny thrashing, whimpering.., was he crying? It was clear that he was having a nightmare and he looked horrified. The teen frowned and pushed himself up. He was still exhausted, but he had to do something about this. "Bunny," he whispered harshly into one pinned back ear.

_"Bunny." The black Jack's voice was slick like oil, but Aster ignored it. Aster was trying not to look at the Black Jack's face as the dream apparition began to call to him._

Jack touched Bunny's arm, shaking him. "Bunny," he tried again, but the nightmare's grip - Pitch's grip - held fast.

_Aster tried again to close his eyes as a fierce stinging began to overtake them and the fearlings shook him for his transgression. Again came that voice, "Bunny!"_

Then Jack remembered - Aster - Bunny had asked him twice now to call him that. Maybe if he used that name, he could jar Bunny back to reality. Leaning over Aster, Jack gripped his shoulders and the rabbit-man responded by throwing his head around and thrashing wildly. "Aster… Wake up..."

_... Aster fought against the tendrils of shadow that had wrapped around his shoulders. He tossed his head and twisted his body violently in an attempt to shake free of the fearlings grip as Black-Jack called, "Aster... Wake up..." the voice now soft, as though fading. Aster wrenched free one arm and swung it, sharply connecting with the face of one fearling before the arm was pinned once more._

Keeping one flailing arm in place with his hand and kneeling on the other, Jack held his stinging cheek and hissed in pain, the skin quickly turning pink. It proved advantageous, however as, inspired by the strike, Jack swatted Aster across the nose and yelled, " _Aster!_ "

 _It was in that moment when Pitch spat a_ _**piece** _ _of Jack at him, hitting him the face, and screamed his release, that Bunny met Jack's eyes again. They were blue now, his hair its usual silver-white and he looked terrified! "_ _**Aster!** _ _" he mouthed voicelessly._

"JACK!" Aster shouted, sitting bolt-upright and nearly head-butting Jack in the process. Aster was frantic at first, blindly reaching for the vanished illusion, but calmed a bit when he saw Jack, normal and relatively intact, sitting right there next to him.

"Hey - are you okay..?" Jack managed to say before Bunny snapped his arms around the silver-haired youth and pulled him into a crushing hug. "Just a dream..." Bunny breathed, "It was just a dream."

The hug was returned, tight as Jack could manage, with the soothingly murmured words, "That's right. It was a bad dream… but it's alright now. I'm right here." Though he didn't know what Aster had dreamed that had him so scared, Jack was sure it had something to do with him - the way Bunny had cried his name proved that much - and guilt gnawed at him. But that guilt suddenly evaporated as one word flared in burning clarity in his mind.  _Pitch!_  He was the King of Nightmares. This was his doing! The thought that that bastard had put Bunny in such a state infuriated Jack and he felt the sudden urge to track down Pitch whether Bunny wanted him to or not.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Aster's disturbed voice. "Jack... " the name came as a choked whisper. "Pitch... he... an' you... an'... oh, MiM!" he yammered incoherently burrowing his face into the right side of Jack's neck, somehow having the presence of mind to avoid the side with the stitches. He trembled like a leaf and was trying very hard not to cry, veritably in shock from that dream. He did an admirable job of it considering, his breath hitching on suppressed sobs, but no additional wetness staining his cheeks. Aster held Jack like that for a long time, just breathing in his scent, his Pitch-free scent, until he calmed enough to look at the young man without fear of breaking down.

"It's alright now, okay? You can go back to sleep - you won't have much longer before North comes and gets us…"

When Jack pulled back from Aster to hold his face in a steadying grip and his haunted eyes met deep concern, he closed them again. "Ok, ye're right..." he agreed, tilting his face down again.

Jack brushed his thumb over his cheek and smiled weakly. "C'mon. You can look at me, Aster."

Though intended to soothe, Bunny's given name was still a dagger to him and he turned away. Laying down on his side with his back to Jack, he breathed, "G'night, Mate..." and flinched at his perceived slip-up. "Sorry, Frostbite. Ah keep callin' ya that an' Ah don't got the right," he spoke around the lump in his throat, his eyelids feeling very heavy. "Ah'm okay, though," he yawned. "Just... Just a dream.." Even more exhausted now than he was before going to sleep in the first place, Aster was out in seconds.

Jack was stunned. Had he truly been demoted from something so beautiful and unique as a snowflake, all the way back down to something symbolically painful and hurtful as frostbite, in a matter of hours? And Bunny had said they weren't even 'Mates' anymore - could something like that really go away just because Jack said he wanted to think about it? He bit down on his lip and took a shaky breath… but he couldn't say anything. Bunny was already asleep. Instead he just laid down, stared at the ceiling and tried to stay hopeful. Hopeful that his mission would go smoothly. Hopeful that Bunny would be ok. Hopeful that he could fall asleep... Hopeful that he could do so without crying.


	21. In Which Some Walls Are Not Thick Enough and Others Come Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning of Jack's departure has arrived and uncertainty reigns at the pole. Will Bunny realize how his present attitude is effecting Jack before he takes flight? Will North forgive Bunny's transgressions against the youngest Guardian? - And can Jack get used to all the changes forced upon him in so short a time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Ok, folks. I didn't want to resort to this, but my hand has been forced...
> 
> *deep breath* PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I honestly don't care if you just say "LOL" or "Cool" or whatever, but the number of reviews I get versus the number of people who read each chapter of this story honestly has me wondering what I'm doing wrong. So, if you liked what you read - Hell, even if you didn't, please just take a moment to say as much? I would be most appreciative of the feedback. ^_^
> 
> \- The Guardians of Childhood; Rise of the Guardians and all characters involved belong to their respective copyright holders. I make no claim to these characters and make no money from this story.

 

* * *

The expected rude awaking came at roughly, quite literally roughly, seven in the morning, when Jack woke up to Bunny being lifted from the bed by the scruff of his neck, groggily muttering, "Wha? Wa'sgoin'un?" words run together and barely intelligible. As Bunny was carted off, still confused and drowsily swatting at his captor, Jack noticed Nicholas St North standing over him, a towering, scowling visage.

Jack swallowed nervously, and North lost his composure, grinning at the sprite companionably. "Did you have nice night?" he chuckled.

And Jack suddenly felt the need to tell North everything. Could one really lie to Santa Claus? He would know anyway. He always knew. So Jack showed him the stitches and told him about the Joining - about how happy he had been. He told him about the way he'd been sort of backed into a corner with this whole 'marriage' thing and how he'd wanted to think it over. Then how Bunny was just withdrawing, taking away everything he'd given Jack until he got the answer he wanted… And how was that fair?

Meanwhile, Bunnymund found his half-asleep self dumped unceremoniously in a shower stall and thoroughly doused in ice-cold water. He gasped loudly, spluttering and cursing a blue streak, as he quickly high-tailed it out of the freezing stream to soak the bathroom floor. He breathed heavily, face registering shock and outrage at the yeti who now smirked down at him. "Ya got a death-wish, mate?!" he snapped incredulously.

Phil only chuffed at him and pointed back to the bedroom he and Jack had shared the previous night, in response to which Bunny growled and gave himself a full-body shake, making an effort to ensure that he gave the yeti a thorough soaking in the process. He then rushed to check on Jack, fearing North would already be tearing into him. Rushed was a relative term, however, as Bunny found he was stiff and his joints smarted something awful. Thus, he ended up shuffling slowly where he'd intended to run.

When Aster finally staggered back into the room, North was, indeed, with the frost sprite, but rather than chewing him out as expected, he was chatting amiably with him about something or other. Hearing Aster enter, because who could miss that tell-tale squishing sound, Jack looked up and wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. For the third time in less than twenty four hours, Aster resembled a drowned rat, only this time it didn't have some horrible event tied to it. Well, not horrible to  _Jack_  anyway. Aster, however, was clearly not amused - and his humor did not improve any when North turned and said, "There you are! Did you enjoy shower?" as though he hadn't just had an abominable snowman try to turn him into an icicle.

"What the  _Hell_  kind of a way ta wake a bloke up was  _that?!_ " Bunny bleated at the Russian, giving himself another shake.

With a disapproving frown, North said accusingly, "I thought maybe you need to cool off!"

"Ah was plenty cool before!" Bunny thumped his foot in irritation. Even though he'd known this was coming, he felt he was being singled out. They had both been involved in last night's recreational activities, after all.

"That is not what _I_  am hearing." Opening a wardrobe which sat along one wall of the room, North pulled out a towel and threw it at Bunny.

Easily catching the towel, Bunny began to rub himself dry with it, pausing to cast a quick glance out the door. Then looked back at his friend and asked, "Phil ratted us out, yeah?"

"I did not say I heard from yeti."

"Jack?"

Jack began to object, in spite of the fact that he  _had_  just spilled the beans, but North saved him the trouble. "You.." he began, stabbing a finger at Bunny's chest.

"Ya swore ya wouldn't sp..." Bunny interrupted, but his interruption was interrupted.

"are  _loud!"_  Santa finished.

North had  _heard them?!_ Bunny's ears drooped against his neck and he appeared to shrink a bit at that revelation. That rock was looking damn inviting again.

But North was not done. "And what have you done to Jack?! You should be ashamed!"

With a scowl, Bunny grumbled, "Yeah... Thanks fer pointin' that out." He was well aware of what he'd done to Jack. He  _really_  didn't need the reminder.

Now somewhat drier, the Pooka half-limped to the bed and dropped heavily next to the frost sprite. He gave him a chagrined smile and was about to say something to him, but then there was a container filled with a familiar shimmering liquid filling his vision.

"Drink," came the command.

Bunny gave North a withering look and insisted, "North, Ah feel fine." Although that was clearly not true.

Forcing the bottle into Bunny's paw, North told him, "You strained yourself last night and you are in pain. Drink." Though he rolled his eyes, Bunny was secretly grateful to the imperious man for his aid as he tipped back the bottle and swallowed the glittery contents. That grateful feeling quickly vanished when he was asked, "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Jack flinched as the beaker was suddenly slammed down on the nightstand hard enough to crack it. Aster was incensed. How dare North ask that question? He was no child! "Wha' d'ya  _want_  me ta say?! Are ya expectin' an _apology?!_ "

Smiling sympathetically at Jack, North told Bunny, "I think you owe  _Jack_ apology. You have hurt him..." He paused to grip Jack's right shoulder in a show of support, then finished, "in many ways."

So that's what they had been talking about. How much had Jack told him? Did he know they were technically married? He looked at Jack with a repentant smile. "Ah already apologized ta Frostbite..," he began, "Fer all of it," and he kissed Jack on the forehead, avoiding his lips for now, lest he remind Jack of their present status and make him uncomfortable. The move proved poignantly the validity of Jack's complaint concerning Bunny's most recent treatment of him. He could have held him - kissed his lips, yet chose instead to kiss his forehead and call him 'frostbite' again. It was practically becoming an insult.

While the chaste kiss brought a small smile to North's face, his voice was stern as he contended, "So you claim, but I am thinking there is still more to be said." He had not missed the hint of apprehension that flashed across the frost sprite's eyes.

"That's none'a yer business, Nick." Bunny warned, eyes narrowing.

"Bunny, you have no impulse control. You do what you want and you do not  _think_  about outcome."

Forgetting for a moment that Jack was right there, Aster snapped, " _HE_  started it!"

"But you finish," North pointed out, voice gentling some. "Old friend, for someone who has lived so long, you have much to learn," he sighed. "What is done, is done. The two of you must now deal with consequences."

Before Aster could address that particular gem, Phil barged into the room, something fabric and blue with a bit of grey fur poking out of one edge in his arms. Handing it to North, he turned and left once again, his duties giving him no time to dawdle.

"We have other business to worry about this morning," Nicholas reminded them. Then, handing the bundle to Jack, he told him, "Jack. These are for you. To keep you safe... and  _covered,_ " merriment sparkling in his eyes and a chuckle burbling up from his throat.

Jack looked down at his new clothes with hesitation and his gaze drifted up to North. Was he still allowed to wear them? They were, after all, made of Aster's fur. That was something intimate… something special. Could he really still wear them if their relationship was in question? But he did not ask his questions of North. It was not his opinion Jack was concerned with. It was Aster's.

"When you are both ready, come to Globe, da?"

A grumble of, "Whatever ya say, North," and a disgruntled alien rabbit ushered him out the door.

And then they were alone... and it was silent.., and Jack rose stiffly from the bed, the movement very deliberate - calculated. Once standing, he set the clothing aside and, not giving a lick for how odd he looked with his wedding tackle dangling like he was trying to attract fish, took swift steps to close the distance between himself and Aster, put his hands on his chest and _shoved_.

Bunny, who had turned to speak to Jack upon hearing him getting out of bed, now found himself backpedaling to avoid falling over. It hadn't been much of a push, really, but the rabbit was so unsteady already that it didn't take much. He gaped down at Jack, stunned by this turn of events.

" _I started it?!_ " Jack asked, eyes thinning to slits. He was flabbergasted. As if Aster held no responsibility in the matter? " _Who_ was the one making moves on me in the  _bath tub?!_ "

Bunny almost protested. Almost mentioned the ear-rubbing that occurred prior to his pulling Jack into the tub. Almost turned it into another argument, but then...

Jack clenched his fists at his sides, glaring at the Pooka's impressive feet and ignoring a growing urge to kick them. "I'm leaving soon enough you know," he muttered. "Why are you pushing me out the door?"

_Why does he think I'm pushing him out the door?_

"If you're reconsidering everything that happened yesterday… does that mean you want me to leave those clothes here? Am I still allowed to wear them?" Jack frowned. Then, face still angled toward the floor, Jack lifted his eyes up to meet Bunny's mystified gaze through the curtain of white keeping the glittering orbs mostly concealed from view. "Am I still allowed to kiss you?" He tentatively pushed himself up on the balls of his feet and tilted his mouth to press a kiss to Aster's lips, half expecting him to turn it down.

Aster returned the kiss, but broke it moments later. He was so confused. "Waitaminute! M… Jack, what're ya talkin' about?!  _Yes,_ ye're allowed ta kiss me! An' what'a ya mean, are ya  _allowed_ ta wear the clothes?!"

"Well... from the way you've been treating me, it seems like you're changing your mind... about everything."

The Pooka staggered back to the bed and picked up the garments from where Jack had left them. He then returned to him with them draped over his shoulder, except for a black, long-sleeved shirt which he held in his hand. " _Of course_  ye're allowed ta wear 'em!" he said, as he abruptly pulled it on over Jack's head, then proceeded to guide his arms into the sleeves.

"You say 'of course' like it was so obvious…" Jack muttered, looking over his shoulder at his reflection in the full length mirror standing in the corner of the room. He was unsure whether he liked what he saw. The shirt was black and form fitting, hugging even to the shallow dips of his abs like a second skin. He'd never worn something quite as tight as this. Turning back to Bunny, Jack wondered what  _he_  thought of it. He doubted the tightness was for his own benefit, after all. He would have asked, but Bunny was focused on the task of both dressing him and refuting his comments.

" _Yes_ , it's obvious. It's  _obviously_  obvious! They were made  _for you!_  Ya can't  _get_ much more obvious! Ah want ya ta wear 'em! Ah want ya ta be  _safe!"_

"Yeah, but they were made for me before you changed your mind."

The next piece, a light blue hoodie with a zippered front, was much easier to get onto the frost sprite, who rolled his eyes at being dressed like a three year old, but cooperated anyway. It was lighter than his old hoodie, more of a sky blue, and Bunny noted, with no small amount of pride, the grey fur trim on the hood. The whole outfit was made of his fur of course, but the trim was special because one could tell where it had come from just by looking. It was perfect! Everything, from the tight weave of delicate threads to the careful selection of Bunny's various colored hairs for the trim arranged in an intricate pattern of light and dark, showed North's incredible attention to detail. Maybe the shave job wasn't such a bad thing after all?

Jack pushed up the sleeves a bit while Aster zipped up the front, allowing himself a brief chuckle at the zipper pull, which was shaped like the trademark 'G' of the Guardians. Leave it to North to add some sort of Guardians reference to Jack's new ensemble.

"Where did ya get the idea that Ah changed mah mind?" Aster asked, giving the dark blue denim pants a flap to unfold them. "Ah love you," he reaffirmed as he helped Jack, who put a hand on him to steady himself, into the tight jeans.

"I lov…ve you too," Jack said, breath catching in his throat as Bunnymund closed his fly, intentionally using the motion as an excuse to apply pressure to his groin, stroking him through the fabric. "...but Bunny you're not listening to me, you're pushing me back. You don't even call me your Mate anymore."

Bunny picked up the belt from where it had been discarded the night before, while saying, "Ah still want ya ta be mah Mate, but ya said ya needed ta think about it. Ya didn't accept, Frostbite." It wasn't until he had Jack's belt on - until he was busy with the buckle and explaining, "Ah don't have the right ta call ya  _that_  kinda Mate till ya do!" that he finally caught on to what Jack was talking about. He was treating him differently, or rather, he was treating him nearly the same. The same as he had  _before_  the events of the previous day.

"Ah'm such a  _lamb-brained, drongo, rat bag_  of a  _damp squib_ , Ah couldn't catch a  _clue_  if it came up an'  _fucked me in the ass_ ," the rabbit cursed himself, hand to his forehead in chagrin. "Ah really have been back-steppin', haven' Ah, Snowflake?" he admitted, using the nickname he'd just realized he'd been subconsciously avoiding. Bunny gripped Jack by his upper arms and locked eyes with him. "Ok, so Ah know Ah've got this right, ye're upset cause Ah haven't been callin' ya 'Mate' er 'Snowflake' an' cause Ah've been kinda reserved with mah affections, right?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I said I needed time, and you just… stopped. Everything."

With a sigh, Bunny released his grip in favor of sliding his arms around Jack, left cheek coming to rest on his less-injured shoulder and mouth next to his ear. "None'a that means Ah'm backin' out, ok?" he quietly told him. The rabbit-man gently kissed Jack's neck, right at the little hollow by his ear, twitchy whiskers tickling, and his paws began to slide lower as he spoke, eventually coming to rest on either side of his rear, which was being deliciously accentuated by those tight jeans. "Ya wan'ed time ta think about it an' Ah' realized Ah was puttin' too much _pressure_  on ya," he continued, emphasizing the word 'pressure' by squeezing that amazing ass. "Ah' was just tryin' ta give ya some breathin' room is all."

"I can breathe just fine," Jack gasped, pressing closer to the Pooka, though whether to avoid Aster's antics or encourage them, even  _he_  wasn't sure.

"Really?" Bunny purred, "Cause it sounds like ye're havin' a bit'a trouble there."

"If someone would keep his hands to himself..."

"Ah thought ya  _wan'ed_  me ta touch ya?"

A furious maroon blush splashed across Jack's cheeks. "Shut up..." he grumped, looking away and turning his face to the floor to hide the barely contained grin he now sported.

With a snicker at his expense, Aster took a step back to admire Jack in his new clothes. Oh yes… he liked this. They fit him very well, clinging in all the right places. They were different, but still very clearly Jack, with a touch of Aster and a hint of North. He whistled appreciatively, prompting Jack to roll his eyes. "Ah've said it before an' Ah'll say again, Snowflake. You. Are. A. Beaut!"

"You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to flirt with me, Cottontail."

"Can't help it. Ye're just so damned sexy. Just got ya the clothes on ya an' Ah already wanna take 'em off." Aster winked.

Another playful shove and this time Bunny did go down, flat on his back. He worked his elbows up underneath himself, huffed loudly and tried to glare at Jack, but the corners of his mouth wouldn't cooperate. They were determined to hold the smirk that he was attempting to hide.

He needn't have bothered. Jack was too busy examining himself in the mirror again to notice anyway. Perhaps Aster was impressed but, for Jack, it was weird. Three hundred years with the same clothes, and suddenly they were just… different. The clothes looked different. They felt different -  _Jack_  felt different. North had done a bang-up job, he had to admit, but he just wanted his old clothes back.

 _North..._ Jack looked at the door briefly. "North'll probably wanna see his handiwork, but then I have to go."

Bunny lost his smirk then, it turning fully into a frown at the mention of Jack's impending departure. "Yeah," Aster sighed, sitting up. "Ah know."

Jack held out a hand and helped Bunny get stiffly to his feet. "I'm coming back though. I won't keep you waiting any longer than that." He pocketed his hands. "Fresh air - you know? It'll clear my head. Think you can give me that long?"

"An' how long _is_ that? How can Ah say yes'r no when ya don't gimme a time-frame?" Then, sighing at himself, he ruffled Jack's hair and told him, "Hell, what'm Ah sayin? Take as long as ya need. Ah'll wait till the end'a time if Ah gotta."

With a glance at the hinged wooden barrier that kept the outside world at bay, the old Pooka sighed again. "Ah guess we should go show ya off ta the others now, yeah?" He cupped Jack's cheek and brushed a thumb over his pale skin, then slid the paw down his arm, taking his hand. Turning, Bunny gripped the door handle - and became aware that his heart had begun to pound yet again. He took a deep breath to steady himself and shamblingly led the way out the door and down the hall to the Globe, where North, Tooth and Sandy, along with an assortment of yetis and elves, were gathered waiting to see Jack off.

First to notice them, North grinned hugely when he laid eyes upon Jack in his new attire. "Ah! They fit! Good!"

Jack hooked a finger under the black shirt's thin collar and tugged at it. "They feel kinda weird."

"Bah! You will get used to them," North dismissed. Then, stroking his beard, he asked, "But do you  _like_ them?"

Tooth spiraled around Jack to get a better look at him, Baby Tooth and several of her other mini selves trailing her, all very blatant in their approval of the outfit. Not satisfied merely to look, Baby Tooth zipped forward and ensconced herself in Jack's pocket. She must have fit comfortably, because when she emerged she was nodding her head in approval.

Jack smiled his amusement. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I do. Thanks, North."

"You look fantastic!" Tooth declared, vocalizing the obvious thoughts among the tooth fairies, glancing then at the Sandman. "Doesn't he, Sandy?" and Jack chuckled at the thumbs up which followed.

Yeah - They were right. He did look good, if different. So much was different about his life today. The clothes were different, but not in a bad way. Then there was his relationship with Aster. Even though some he was unsure of, he couldn't say he disliked those differences either. Maybe he could get used to 'different'. Maybe different was good.

North smirked at them all, hands on his hips as he asked, "And does Bunny approve?"

The rabbit opened his mouth to reply, but found he had no voice, still a touch abashed by admitting his feelings before the other Guardians.  _Ah'm gonna skin you, Nick!_ he thought to himself, not liking being put in the spotlight for something so personal. He tried again and managed to say, "Ah think…" then gave Jack a helpless look.

"Well?" Nick pressed, folding his arms and fixing Bunny with an amused stare.

"…looks great…" Bunny mumbled under his breath, diverting his eyes from North as he did and blushing furiously beneath his fur.

Cheeky as ever, the big Russian held a hand up to his ear and pressed again, "What was that? We cannot hear you Old Friend."

With an irritated growl, Bunny gave in and grumbled, "Ah said 'E looks great. Ya did a bonza job. Happy?"

"Very," Santa beamed.

Nicholas Saint North was a great man - no one could ever tell Jack otherwise - but what he did next had the teen wishing he could disappear. For Jack, who had spent 300 years wishing to be seen, that was pretty significant.

Sauntering over to the couple, getting between them and draping one arm over the neck of each man, he winked at Jack - then told Aster in a far too loud voice, "Come now. Do not be embarrassed, Bunny. Is ok to say your _husband_ is handsome."


	22. In Which It's Dangerous To Leave Swords In Reach Of An Angry Toothfairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hell hath no fury like a Toothfairy on the warpath. As North continues to torment Bunny in any way that he can, time moves ever-closer to Jack's inevitable departure, but will Bunnymund survive the wrath of Toothiana long enough to see him off?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Please remember in reading this chapter that the way I portray these characters is a mix of their book and movie selves. Book Tooth is quite a bit more aggressive than movie Tooth, hence her outburst here. Thank you. ^_^
> 
> \- The Guardians of Childhood; Rise of the Guardians and all characters involved belong to their respective copyright holders. I make no claim to these characters and make no money from this story.

 

* * *

 

 _"...Is ok to say your _ **husband**_  is handsome.” _ 

Jack went stiff as a board, gaze dropping to the floor. Couldn't  _one thing_ go right for him lately? Had North seriously just let the cat out of the bag in front of the other Guardians - not to mention the entirety of the Pole's residents? Wasn't there enough pressure on him from Bunny as it was? Although he was pretty sure that North had meant to help him by teaching Bunny a lesson, now Jack could feel  _every_ eye in the room firmly locked on him and he couldn't look up. He knew their reactions without needing to see - the air so leaden as it was with their collective shock - and he didn't want to look. Suddenly, Jack felt like he couldn't breathe, as though he were back beneath the ice of that frozen lake. A tiny part of him wished he  _was_. 

"NORTH!!" Bunny snapped, shocking Jack back to reality as he thumped the ground out of anger for the second time that morning. 

Extracting himself from beneath the Christmas spirit's limb, Jack backed away a few steps to watch the exchange from a safer distance. He had to admit, despite the pressure North had put on him, watching him tease a flustered Bunnymund was pretty damned amusing. 

"What? Is big secret?" 

"Too right, it is! Or it was!" 

The grin on Saint Nick's face was a dead giveaway that he knew that fact perfectly well, in spite of his feigned confusion. "You are not wanting to share good news?" he chuckled. 

Bunny was sorely tempted to wipe that grin off with his foot. “It wasn't  _yer_  news ta share!" he griped, fixing him with a death glare. 

"Come now, Bunny, why are you  _really_  upset?" Saint Nick asked, leaning in close to Bunny in hopes that Jack would not hear him. 

Expression dropping, Aster stammered back at a similar volume, "E’s not mah… Ah mean… ‘e hasn’t accepted yet…”

“He will, my friend. Do not worry.” North patted his shoulder.   
  
Jack found himself getting nervous again. Aster seemed to be calming down, but what was all that whispering about? Was Aster refuting their marriage now? He'd just told Jack that he  _wasn't_ changing his mind. Just what the hell were they saying, anyway? He didn't get the chance to ask. 

Both conspirators were startled to distraction at the sound of a strangled squawk as Jack was suddenly yanked away from the impromptu huddle by Toothiana. She immediately exposed Jack's shoulder and Aster felt the sudden impulse to open a tunnel and just get the bloody Hell out of there - hand shooting to her mouth and eyes snapping wide, then narrowing dangerously, fists clenching and every feather on her head standing on end, she was the picture of fury. Maybe Aster had joked about Tooth being pissed, but Jack had been right. The Queen of the Toothfairy armies most definitely wanted his head. Without warning, Tooth darted to the mantel of the great fireplace and snatched up Santa's swords, then dove for Aster. 

It would have been so much easier... so much simpler - to just return to the warren and hide out until Tooth calmed down, but Aster had no intention of running. Well, not from Jack and certainly not from his responsibility, but Tooth was another matter. He could have turned and fought. Aster knew nearly every hand to hand fighting style known to man - and a few that weren't - so was no slouch in battle, but he had no desire to fight Tooth. He instead relied on his speed and agility, for which Tooth was a near match, to keep him just out of swords' reach.    
  
Dashing for dear life as she bore down on him like a bat out of Hell, Aster cried, "WHOA! Hold on there, sheila!", then bounced off a pillar, with a shout of, "Ya don't gotta chuck a mental!" He ducked a lunge and rebounded off the wall, his demand for her to, "Gimme a sec ta explain, dammit!" followed by a rapid dodge of one ornate blade swung within inches of his nose.

Sandy stuffed a Christmas cookie into his already filled mouth as he waved a sand-banner, decorated with a Tooth on it, over his head in silent support while Jack, who was half shocked yet  _thoroughly_  entertained, laughingly shouted to Bunny, "LEFT! LEFT! DUCK! Now right! NO, the  _other_  way!"  
  
"Ye're not helpin', Mate!" Bunny yelled back, flipping over yet another attempt on his life. He repeatedly made passes close to North, Tooth in hot pursuit. The Pooka's hope was that, in her enraged state, she wouldn't notice her proximity to the Russian. It was lucky for the Easter Bunny that he was right. It was also lucky he was fast and North was strong, because had either of them been any less those things, Bunny - and Easter - would have been done for. As it was, Bunny nearly lost an ear before North got hold of and pinned Toothiana's arms and wings. 

"Toothy, you must calm down now!" 

"RRRRAHHHH!!!!" she roared, struggling against the iron grip. "North! Let me go! I'm gonna kill him!" 

"That is precisely why I  _cannot_  let you go." 

"FINE! Then I'll just neuter him!" Tooth thrashed like a cat in a bear trap whilst Aster, eyes the size of dinner plates and paws over his valuables, ducked behind the nearest pillar and prayed to MiM that she wasn't successful. 

"Um, NO-O! I kinda like him the way he is, thanks."  
  
Good ol' Jack to the rescue. Not that Aster really  _needed_  rescuing, but he was glad that his Mate had his back, just the same. Now if only Tooth could be made to see the light...

"After what he _did_  to you?!" the astonished fairy gasped. She craned her neck to look up into the face above her, hoping for some support other than the rather unhelpful Sandman who now sported a giant sand-hand with a single finger extended. "North, have you seen his neck?!" 

"Dah, I have."

"How can you be so calm about this?!!" 

Jack held his hands up placatingly. "Tooth... Tooth, it's ok. I, uh... don't mind," he told her. And he really didn't. Not the bite anyway. Not even Aster's claim on him. Truth be told, what was it that was really bothering him about it all? He had often fantasized he and Bunny might one day be... Was he just in shock because it was so sudden? Jack's hand unconsciously drifted up to touch the hidden stitches as he considered the implications. 

"You  _don't mind?_ " Tooth asked, incredulous that Jack was honestly alright with this. 

Blinking at her, her words having pulled him back out of his own mind, Jack simply answered, "No." 

"You know what that mark  _is?_ " 

"Yes." 

"Oh..." And suddenly Tooth's entire demeanor changed. Gone was the fury - the righteous indignation replaced by a bubbly enthusiasm which was so much more familiar to Jack in his fairy friend, but so out of place at the moment. "Well, then! Congratulations!" Tooth giggled playfully at him. “Jack Frost - married! So many of my fairies will be heartbroken!” she teased. 

"What?!" Tilting his head like a confused dog, Jack was aghast. "Two seconds ago you were ready to tear Bunny to pieces..," Now she was congratulating them? 

"Oh, you know... Silly me..." she disclosed, ducking her head to the side and looking thoroughly embarrassed. "I thought he marked you against your will." 

Just as North was beginning to relax his hold, Jack admitted, "Well... I didn't know what it meant at the time..." and Tooth flared again, breaking free and about to make a bee-line for Aster's hiding place... 

"BUT!" Jack shouted, stopping her before she darted off. He closed the distance between them and whispered, "But I would have let him, if he'd asked me. Please, Tooth, just let it go." 

Tooth cast one final glare at the pillar which hid the offender of her motherly instincts, but gave in at last with a sigh. "Alright. I'll leave him alone, but only because you asked me to." 

As she smoothed down her feathers, Bunny cautiously crept out into the open. "We aces, sheila?" 

"I'll forgive you..,  _if_  you let me plan the wedding!" Tooth squealed, buzzing straight into Bunny's personal space and flabbergasting the pooka with her sudden enthusiasm.  
  
Sandy grinned and nodded his agreement, only to nod again with somewhat less joy as North reminded the Toothfairy, "Toothie, they are married already, dah? No wedding is necessary." 

"Married according to Pooka tradition, maybe, but what about Jack?" Toothiana zipped over to Jack and took his hands, then looked back to the others. "Maybe  _he_ wants a ceremony!" 

"Maybe that's not  _yer_  decision!" Bunny grumped, taking a step toward her. 

Jack pulled his hands away and planted them firmly on his hips as he eyed the other Guardians. "Maybe someone should ask  _me!"_  

With a quizzical look which bordered on suspicious, North complied. "Jack...  _do_ you want to have wedding?" 

"I... haven't decided yet," Jack answered, looking to Aster, who sighed inwardly. He knew Jack wasn't just referring to a wedding.  _Be patient, Aster,_ he told himself.  _Jack'll tell ya wh..._  

"You will tell us when you have made decision then," North declared, unintentionally finishing Aster's thought as he clapped Jack on the back. Then, in his usual booming voice, “Now, we have serious business. Jack, you are ready to go?” 

“No…” Bunny muttered childishly to himself and Jack had to smirk at the pathetic protest. Really. He was only going to be gone for a day. Bunny would just have to keep himself busy till he got back. 

“Hush, Bunny,” North chided him as he handed Jack something bulky and made of blue leather. 

Lifting it before him, Jack puzzled over it. It was some sort of a bag. One which - even though he was certain he'd never seen it before - was somehow familiar. He was extending the strap between his out-stretched hands, trying to figure out how it was worn, when it dawned on him just what it was that the bag reminded him of. He looked at Aster, the question in his mind readily apparent on his face, but held off on asking as North was saying, “I have packed cookies, in case you get hungry, eggnog in case you are thirsty and a snow globe, in case of trouble. Do not hesitate to use it.” 

Though he’d never worn a bandolier, for that's what it was, once he knew that, Jack had no trouble slipping it over his head and adjusting it to rest comfortably across his back. The gift was surprising. It had clearly been made to match his new clothes in the same shades of blue and grey. An egg with a snowflake on it, much like the one Jack had painted the day before, was stamped into the blue leather of the main pack, and snowflakes and frost leaves decorated the shoulder strap. 

North patted Jack’s shoulder approvingly and, casting a haughty smile at the Pooka, told him, “Oh, and bandolier was Bunny’s idea.” 

Bunny looked back and forth between the bandolier and North several times. He had been planning to make exactly that gift for Jack. Stopping on Santa the third time his eyes met those of the Guardian of Wonder, Bunny gaped at him, a note of irritation present in the expression. 

“What? You are not only one who can read minds, you know,” North grinned proudly.

"One'a these days ye're gonna let someone  _else_ make a present around here an' Ah'm gonna shit a whole house'a bricks."

“Thank you,” Jack said sincerely, interrupting what was certain to turn into another bantering war with his grateful smile. “Both of you.” 

Did it amaze him that Santa Claus could read minds? Not at all. How else could he have known what every child of the world needed or wanted? He was Santa. How could he not read minds? Besides, he'd just spent most of yesterday mind-linked to Bunny. The idea of telepathy no longer seemed even remotely farfetched.

The bandolier and its contents were not the only parting gifts Jack received, and it made Bunny nervous. Granted, it was sort of normal after hearing their good news, but that wasn’t the reason for the gifts. Those presents meant that the others were worried about the youngest Guardian as well, which just compounded Bunny’s own fears. He was glad Jack would have tools to call on should trouble arise, but the need for them… It didn’t sit well with the Pooka.

From Sandy, Jack received a tiny pouch - white, with a fine gold cord tied in a delicate bow. He didn’t have to open it to know what it contained. Dream sand - pure and golden. He smiled at Sandy. "Thanks, Little Man." A rapid series of sand images flashed over the Sandman's head and Jack answered, "I promise, anyone who comes after me is getting a one-way ticket to dreamland." A thumbs up signaled the golden Guardian's approval a moment before Baby Tooth and Toothiana approached again.

Jack found himself pulled into a sudden embrace, green and gold feathers blocking out all other visual input. “Are you guys that worried?” he asked, winding his arms tight about the fairy with a chuckle. “I’ll be fine!”

Once again Bunny had to fight down the urge to disentangle his potential husband from the Tooth Fairy’s embrace as she continued to cling to him. He would let them say their good-byes. He knew Tooth wasn’t trying to steal Jack away from him. Just the same, there was that little twinge of jealousy that reared its ugly head every time she touched him and he breathed a sigh of relief when she finally pulled away. 

“You’re still the baby of the group,” she reminded him softly, pointing to his pocket - where Baby Tooth was once more nestled, “and you still need to be babysat. Baby Tooth will go with you - she’s fast. If you need any help at all, send her.”

Bunny almost protested Baby Tooth accompanying him. The sensible part of him was wondering what Mother Nature would do if the fairy was discovered, but the emotional part of him was jealous again. Why did she get to go when he couldn’t?

Smiling once more at Jack, as a yeti handed him his staff, Tooth then asked, “How long will you be away?”

Jack shrugged his shoulders. “If all goes well I should be there and back by midnight. It won’t take long, I’m telling you. You’re all worrying over nothing.”

In the next breath, he turned his line of vision to Bunny and repeated those words, “You’re worrying over nothing.” And he truly meant that to mean more than just leaving. Bunny was worrying a lot over what Jack’s ‘answer’ was…. Was it truly not so obvious that he had already made his choice? Even so he wasn’t ready to say it out loud. Not yet. Bunny would just have to wait until he came back.

Once again, Aster wanted to argue. Jack was  _not_ nothing! Why couldn’t he take this seriously? But this was Jack Frost. Jack Frost didn’t take much of anything seriously. The way he’d said it though… Bunny hoped _that_  at least would be an exception to the ‘Jack Frost rule'. He prayed he would actually think about it while he was away and that his decision would be favorable in the end. Whatever he decided however, he’d better return in one piece or pieces of  _Pitch_  would be found scattered all over the globe.

“Time to go,” Jack reminded the Pooka. Not just any Pooka, his Pooka. The last of his kind but still not alone in the world, if he would take two seconds to see that he’d won Jack’s heart long ago.

Jack’s words stung. Yes, it was time for him to go. Aster didn’t need the reminder. Didn’t want the reminder. What he wanted was nothing more than to forget that Jack was leaving entirely. He wanted to go back to bed, curl himself around his frosty love and forget the rest of the world existed for a while.

And Jack grinned at him, and walked just a little closer. Standing on the balls of his feet, as he often did, his grin turned into a smirk. “I bet North’ll take great care of you. Just chill. Don’t get too worked up, I’ll be mad if I come back and find out you had another stroke or something.”

Aster was disappointed when Jack stopped just out of reach and started teasing him again. Of course, Jack had to make jokes. Aster knew it was how he coped, but that didn’t make it any less annoying. Puffing up like an angry owl, he closed the last six feet between them and abruptly snatched Jack up, arms around his waist, but torso leaned back so he could look into the infinite depths of his impossibly beautiful cerulean eyes.

Expression a strange mix of worry, annoyance, authority and, most of all, love, Aster answered Jack’s statements with, “Look here, ya bloody boofhead. Ah don’t need anyone ta take care’a me. Ah can handle mahself just fine, thanks. As fer chillin’, Ah kinda need you around for that… an’ one more thing! Quit sayin’ Ah had a stroke! It was heatstroke! It’s not the same thing, Jack! No more’n a prairie dog is a dog! Yer makin’ me feel old!”

“If it’s called a stroke, then it's a stroke—!” Jack began to protest, but ended up snorting instead when North argued, “Bunny… You  _are_ old!  _Very_  old!”

“Rack off, North. Nobody asked ya!”

Leaning in so that their foreheads touched and Jack’s eyes were all he could see, Bunny closed his lids and inhaled deeply of his scent, which was presently a mix of Jack, himself and the lingering sharp tang of spent passions.

And, all at once, Jack was aware this conversation was becoming very serious.

With his heart lodged firmly in his throat, the Pooka opened his eyes and said, “You be careful out there, yeah? An’ come back soon as ya can. Ah don’t know how long Ah can stand bein’ cooped up with this lot,” he quipped, though there was little mirth in his voice. "Ah don't suppose there's any chance'a ya lettin' me open the meld back up..?"

"No, Aster. I'm sorry, but I need my head clear to figure all this out."

“Ah understand, Snowflake. Just... promise me ye’re comin’ back, yeah? Ah can’t lose ya now. Ya know that, right? Almost half a century'a denial an’ we only just admitted to it..."

"I promise,” Jack whispered. His eyes reflected his surprise, he had no idea this was going to be so hard on Bunny…and yet here they were and the rabbit was looking so scared and so sad… even behind his brave front.

Bunny knew he needed to say ‘good-bye’, but he couldn’t bring himself to use those words just yet. They were so… final. He knew that, if he did, that would be the end of his composure. He would just break down. So, in their stead, he reaffirmed, “Ah love ya,  _Mate_ ,” loud and strong for all to hear, emphasizing the title. Though he should not even be using it yet, he wanted Jack to know that he was serious and that he still thought of him that way. Then he turned his head to the side and hungrily devoured Jack’s lips, right there in front of the other Guardians. Now that they knew about their relationship, now that the cat was out of the bag, he’d decided he didn’t care who was watching.

A loud whoop from North followed by a long shrill whistle confirmed that they were, indeed, watching. _Let 'em look_ , Bunnymund thought. He wanted them to look. Gave them a good, long look, in fact - arms sliding up to Jack’s shoulder blades and crushing him against his chest as though trying to absorb the man.

Jack felt sort of empowered by the title. The kiss didn’t hurt either, but Bunny was kissing him like this was the last kiss they were ever going to have, and Jack leaned into it... because what if it was? 

“Bunny..,”  came North’s voice from somewhere off to Aster’s left.

The Pooka was reluctant to let go. This was it. After they parted, Jack would leave and he’d be able to do naught but hang around the Pole and worry. He didn’t want to face that, so he ignored North. Clinging like a limpet, he deepened the kiss, allowing his tongue one more chance to explore that cool and somehow minty mouth.

“Bunny..,” North tried again, but he was being pointedly ignored. “BUNNY!”

“Pull yer head in, North,” Bunny grumbled against Jack’s mouth.

“He has to go now, Aster,” North persisted softly, gripping the rabbit’s shoulder, “Is time to let go.”

Bunnymund finally withdrew and took a step back from Jack, eyes glistening  _\- Damn it, North!_  He just  _had_ to say that, didn’t he?  _Had_  to use his  _given name_ ,  _had_  to tell him to ‘ _let go’._ Since joining the Guardians, Bunny had been told numerous times by certain well-meaning individuals that it was ‘Time to let go’ of Lyra and Tania and the rest of his people. Now he was being told to let  _Jack_  go and, though it had not been meant in that way, it felt to Bunny like Jack’s fate had just been sealed. He fought back the tears and forced a smile for the man who held his heart as he said, “North’s right. It’s not gettin’ any cooler out there an’ we gotta know why. Now… get movin’ before Ah drag yer ass back ta bed!” Just in time. It was in the nick of time that the Pooka turned away. Any longer and Jack would have seen the tears which now flowed freely down his cheeks.

Jack could have killed North for ending that kiss. Bunny needed it. It was keeping him glued together, it was how he was coping with that goodbye… and North rushed him. Jack could see in Bunny’s shining eyes - it was too soon, and he was so concerned for him he nearly forgot to breathe. Even if he didn’t see it, Jack knew there were tears on that face. He knew, he felt it. No mind link required.

As he strode resolutely away, Bunny had no idea of Mate's concerns, so lost was he in his own. _This is stupid. So stupid! Jack'll be back! Why am Ah lettin' it affect me this way?_ He was E. Aster Bunnymund! He was older than dirt! Had seen all there was to see, had suffered nearly every way a person could suffer! He should have been well prepared! Been able to handle this better! Yet he couldn't watch. Couldn't watch Jack leave. So he waved the back of his paw at him and, with a whispered and strangled, "Good-bye..." headed in the direction of the guest room and away from prying eyes.

Jack lifted his hand as he watched him go, so close to reaching for him... so close to protesting when he muttered that goodbye. It was so broken, so hurt… He kept his eyes on Bunny the entire time he was leaving, and just as quietly muttered "I'm coming back…" while he watched him stride back to their room as steadily as his wooden muscles would allow.

Even when Aster disappeared into the hallway, Jack stood stock still. He was well aware that he needed to go, but he didn't want to leave Aster in such a state, either. Just as he tilted forward into the step that almost was, Jack found himself yet again in a crushing embrace. He sighed into his 'father's' chest and returned the hug. "He's just so convinced I'm going to leave and never come back…" he sighed, then stepped back to say, "He's wrong."

"He had better be," North told him firmly. "Now, off with you!"

As the assembled throng all waved enthusiastically, Jack walked to the other end of the room and pushed open the window. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply as Wind swept in and wrapped around him in greeting. He then gripped his staff tightly and, with a smile thrown over his shoulder he repeated, loud and clear for all to hear, "I'll be back soon!" Then he leaned forward and toppled out the window. For a few seconds, he just let himself fall, fall through the air as Wind came up around him. She caught him of course - always had always would. She caught him, and through her - he flew.


	23. In Which Spring Waits For Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where is Mother Nature? Who can stop the rapid warming of the planet? Where is Jack, and what will his decision be? It seems everyone is questioning something, but what answers - if any, will come?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I recently read the new book in the Guardians of Childhood series and have learned that the name of Mother Nature is actually Emily Jane, not Seraphina as much of the fandom has come to accept. As such, I have decided to begin using her proper name and have changed all previous references using the misnomer to reflect this.
> 
> \- I have also added a small bit to chapter 14 to explain why Sandy could not go with Jack or go in his place considering he is apparently well acquainted with Mother Nature.
> 
> \- The Guardians of Childhood; Rise of the Guardians and all characters involved belong to their respective copyright holders. I make no claim to these characters and make no money from this story.

 

* * *

 

The remaining Guardians could only watch as Jack flew off, worry dominating their overall mood. Sending Jack into the unknown by himself did not sit well with them _._ He had only been with them for a year and this was the first time they'd had any kind of trouble requiring action on their part since they last defeated Pitch. As such, Jack's battle experience was still very limited and the fact that he may now have to face Pitch  _on his own_  with that limited experience made them a touch overprotective. 

Worse still, he was going to see Mother Nature and perhaps Jack trusted her, but the other Guardians knew better. She was volatile, unstable and prone to lashing out, usually with terrible consequences. What if this heat wave  _was_ her doing? Some of the worst storms and quakes in Earth's history had resulted from her tantrums.

And they had just sent Jack to find her at a time when the Earth was experiencing perhaps its greatest turmoil in a millennium...

* * *

It felt good to Jack - the freedom of flying once again. To breathe the open air. To soar above it all, nothing able to touch him. He'd been cooped up at North's for far too long for his taste, and with far too much stress and drama to boot. So now he wanted to let loose. At first he let Wind play with him a bit, tossing him here and there; spinning him like a top in a hurricane, then suddenly dropping him like a stone, only to catch him again moments before he would have collided with the open ocean he now sped over. Jack needed this, to clear his head. He had to be able to focus on his mission, rather than his predicament with the Easter Bunny. It took him nearly twice as long to get to his destination this way, but at least he would arrive on task and ready to fight, should he have the need to.

Half a day's worth of ticks of the clock had gone by before Jack touched down in a familiar forested grove, hidden from mortal and fae alike. Only those who Mother Nature sought contact with could find this place, protected as it was by powerful magical wards. Even North's globes could not see within, which meant that Jack was now thoroughly and completely on his own.   
  
It didn't bother him in the slightest. He'd been here twice a year for the last forty five. He knew this place like the back of his hand. In some ways the grove reminded him of Bunny's warren. It was natural. Untouched by man and few fae - but something was wrong...

The wooded area in which he had alighted had once been filled by a strange mix of both water and land - the two co-existing but never mixing. Yet the surface on which Jack trod, though it should have ebbed and flowed with every step he took, was instead dry and powdery - giving off great puffs of dust to mix with the last vestiges of mist and fog which still desperately hung in the drying air. From above came a steady rain of leaves dropping from groaning trees whose once-animated branches now drooped lifelessly. 

Jack had chosen this spot, far from Emily Jane's cottage, in hopes that he would not be discovered right away, just in case Pitch _was_  involved. Thankfully, her wards apparently still recognized him as friend, not foe, as it seemed they had not raised any alarm. As he approached the cottage, he noted that the foliage which covered it, normally hiding it from view, had wilted - revealing the small dwelling blended into the hill side.   
  
Looking past the cottage, Jack realized that people were scattered across the open plain beyond. Not just people… spirits!  “Wow…” he breathed, realizing immediately what was going on. It wasn’t just him. He wasn’t the only one who had felt tugged to come to this grove. He wasn’t the only one who had been concerned about Mother Nature… “You…. have got to be kidding me…” From her grove, Emily Jane controlled and commanded all spirits of nature. Now those spirits, lost and confused without her, had gathered in this place, most likely in search of answers just as Jack was. Every single other nature spirit - all of them - had already arrived. Only Bunny was absent, for obvious reasons.

Jack's eyes scanned the crowd. They were  _all_  milling about aimlessly, speaking to one another in hushed tones. Clearly, they had not found she whom they sought. One of the spirits, a brunette with rich brown curls and an orange dress, spotted Jack then. Her shoes didn't touch the ground as she floated over to him, the loose white blouse she wore overtop the dress fluttering in a seemingly endless breeze. A twig with a few bright autumn leaves adorned her hair, crackling softly with their movement. She spoke so soft, her words ghosting away like a leaf in the wind on a crisp day just before the first snow.

“Jack Frost...”

"You - You know who I am?"

"Everyone knows who you are... You are a Guardian... One of the most powerful spirits in the world... We knew you would come... We _needed_ you to come...”

“Needed me?” Jack asked, pushing his hands into his back pockets. “Need me for what?”

"You have the power to help us... Help us find Mother...”

Jack's brow furrowed. Yeah, he was a Guardian, but he wasn’t sure he was the savior all of these spirits seemed to think he was. He looked the autumn spirit over once more, and then the rest, and he swallowed a lump in his throat when he realized all eyes were on him. “L-look,” he began to protest, "I don't know who told you I could help, but..."

"If not you, then who?!" a brash summer spirit, dressed in reds and golds demanded from the back of the crowd. Taking a step forward, he pressed, "Isn't this what you Guardians are for?! If you're really a Guardian, then Guard us! Guard this world like you were meant to!"

At Jack's feet, a deep - yet somehow shrieky - voice called up, "This wouldn't be a problem if  _I'd_  been chosen to be the new Guardian!" drawing his eyes down to a large furry lump with eyes which somewhat resembled a beaver, except that it lacked the flat tail.

"Oh, shut up, Phil!" came the shoot down by a young fairy who now hovered by Jack's ear. "No one wants to hear it! Let the man speak!"

Such support. Jack cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his head uncertainly. He stood like that for a few moments, the air around him pregnant with high expectations, then his face took on a steely quality. This wasn't the time for slacking off. This was a moment of authority. He was being called on to do his duty as a Guardian!

Jack walked to the center of the crowd and sprung lightly onto a boulder, so he could be seen and heard by all. He looked around at the other spirits. There were only a handful of them really, but they had one of the most important jobs in the world. Without these spirits to control Mother Nature's powers, nature would go haywire. Yet, without Mother, who would govern them? Who was governing them now? It was becoming clear to the youngest Guardian that, in Mother Nature's absence, only one person could.

“Alright, listen up! The Guardians are going to find Mother Nature - but that doesn't mean you can just hang around here! The world is wigging out right now. Global warming on an epic scale! If we’re all here, who's going to get that under control? We’re the only ones who can control it!”

Whipping his staff around, Jack pointed at a cluster of winter spirits. “You! All of you!”

The other sprites looked at one another, then at Jack, one of them pointing to himself. They were like him, afraid and unsure, though he had always been stronger. He just had never known why before he met the Guardians. That didn't mean they couldn't help however.

"Yes, you! Keep the earth as cold as you can! You fall and spring spirits can bring cool winds too. You summer spirits! We need rain! Mother wouldn’t want everything to die! You know that! Come on - hop to it!”

"But Mother Nature gives us our power! She isn't here! What happens when the power we have left runs out?!"

Jack raised his staff in the air and then gave it a sweeping swing, a wave a frost bursting forth and scattering several spirits. “Get out of here! If we’re here we can’t do anything! Get to work! Don’t just sit around pitying yourselves! Go do your jobs! Leave Mother Nature to the Guardians. Trust me - we’ll find her before the power runs out!”

There was dead silence for a few breaths... and then, all at once, a cheer erupted from the gathered on-lookers. An instant later, they separated and dispersed to all corners of the world and Jack couldn't help a self-satisfied smile. The autumn spirit was the last to go. She giggled and ran to Jack, taking his hands, she told him, "My name is Wisp... Thank you, Jack Frost." and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

It left a residue of pale pink lip gloss, which Jack wiped away with a laugh. "Hey! Keep that up and you'll make Bunny jealous.”

Wisp wasn't interested in Jack's love life, however. “We believe in you...” She smiled. “Mother would be proud... Her naughtiest boy has done so well...”

He snorted at her and pushed her back. “I only did what I had to. And it's not just that we have jobs to do. Think about it - if we’re all gathered in one spot, we're an easy target. It’s win-win.” Taking one last look around, Jack whispered, “It’s weird to see the grove like this… Everything is just so…”

He trailed off, but Wisp finished for him. “Faded...”

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“This is a sacred grove... It is used to her keeping it alive with her own energy... It was never meant to survive on its own… If we are not here to sustain it for her, it very well may die.”

Jack looked up at the darkening sky and the wilting tree tops and sighed. “All things die eventually - Mother knows that better than anyone. But she'll make it green again. We can’t afford to waste our time here.” He turned to look back at the colorful brunette. “It looks like rain is coming. Go on, get out of here.”

Wisp nodded. “Good luck, Jack Frost...” she whispered, and then the last of the other spirits flew away to do her job.

Alone now, Jack took the chance to give the place a once-over, just in case the others had missed something. He wandered into her home and poked through her stuff… picking up things he thought she may have touched. Her tea cup, her quill... He wasn't even certain what he expected to find as he made his way to her room to further his search for clues. He lifted a small hand mirror and stared at his reflection. Looking harder as he caught sight of what appeared to be eyes behind him - the rest of the world became as fog...

Jack hadn't felt the eyes on him as they observed from the shadows, but they had followed his every move. From the moment he touched down in that rapidly withering grove, he had been watched. Grey and gold eyes saw him speaking to the other spirits, saw him take command. The owner of those eyes felt a small sense of pride in the winter sprite at that moment, and a strong surge of jealousy. 

Why did the Guardians get Jack Frost? Those back-stabbing, selfish beings who thought themselves above everyone else... Why did the  _rabbit_  get him? He was the most selfish and cold of them all and yet  _he_  got to have Jack! None of them deserved him, he was too good for them, but the pooka deserved him  _least of all!_  The pooka - who waited for Jack to return. A sneer curled a malicious mouth at the thought of that rabbit fretting over his wayward lover. It distracted him from his holiday, from painting his eggs. That was good. Perhaps if the distraction continued, Easter wouldn't happen... Then the rabbit would fade and Jack... Jack would be once again available. Perhaps then he could be made to understand. Perhaps then he would accept the alliance offered last year....

He hadn't accepted. Not then. His response had been outright and absolute rejection! It was infuriating to no end, the way Jack had refused, and now, here he was, directing the other nature spirits like a seasoned pro and making this being yearn for him all the more. When the last of the other spirits had finally gone, the being had hidden in Jack's shadow. Followed his every step around the home of the one he searched for. He would not find her, as none of them had, for she was not there...

Somewhere beneath the grove, a duplicate of the mirror sat face down atop a rocky pedestal, while a tiny doll-girl was held in a grey-skinned hand and dark lips formed vengeful words, "The hour is growing late, my Dear. I do believe the time has come for a little... distraction." The doll made no response to be heard by mortal ears, but those cruel lips took on a cold, calculating smile as though it had spoken and, though an annoying voice cried out in the back of his mind for him to stop, he crooned, "Oh no, child. As long as you are in this form, you  _will_  do as I say. I believe we are in for some unseasonably  _violent_  weather. Does it feel like... rain... to you?"

Jack was startled out of his thoughts by a clap of thunder and the sound of heavy rain pouring down over the grove. He blinked and looked outside. Dark - it was so dark, and not just because of the now-stormy skies. How long had he been here? Surely it had only been a few minutes! How could it be night already? He frowned and, whipping up a quick gust to carry him, darted back out the door and into the rain.

Flipping the hood of his jacket over his head, he was reminded that it was fringed with fur - Bunny's fur - and he smiled a little sadly. This hoodie, this outfit, it was a gift from both North and Bunny… and it kept him safe. Well… they said it would, at least.

 _Not from the rain, apparently,_ he sighed, looking up as the rain began to soak him. “I should get going before Bunny has an aneurism,” he muttered to himself. “Gonna take a while with all this rain…”

* * *

 

Thousands of miles away, in one of the few places where cold still reigned...

"GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!!!" North bellowed at the top of his lungs, bits of ice crunching under foot as he went to retrieve a new block to start over on the project Bunny had just caused the ruin of for the fifth time. You really couldn't blame him for being angry. His office was starting to look like a scene from Titanic and he couldn't work with a pooka practically climbing on him in a bid for advice.

"Fine! Ah don' want yer help anyway!" Bunny snapped back and turned to leave, intent on finding Tooth or Sandy or Phil or  _anyone_  who was still willing to listen to him. He was well aware he was being a pain, but he couldn't help it. Jack had already been gone for nearly eighteen hours and he was sick with worry. He'd spent most of that time shadowing North and peppering him with 'what ifs' and worst case scenarios and just fretting in general. It didn't help that he had woken up to find that his muscles were not working properly. It had made him more than a bit clumsy. Between that and his babbling on and his pacing and his subsequent stumbling, Nicholas hadn't finished a thing all morning.

North turned back with the new block of ice to see a rather frustrated-looking Easter Bunny staggering determinedly into the hall, tripping over his own substantial feet as he walked. "Wait... Bunny, come back," he sighed and Bunny paused, but stayed halfway out the door for the moment. "I am sorry, my friend," North apologized, as he placed the ice on the table with a heavy thunk. He came up behind Aster and laid a chilly hand on his shoulder, the action causing Bunny to close his eyes and take a deep breath. The feel of that hand was so like Jack that, had he not known it was North ahead of time, he would have spun around expecting to find his Mate returned, safe and sound.. "Listen to me. I know you are missing Jack and you are worried, but you must find something more... constructive to do. Maybe... paint some eggs!"

Bunny gaped at him, "How in holy dooly am Ah supposed ta concentrate on paintin' eggs when Jack's already  _two hours late?_  'E said 'e'd be back by midnight! It's two in the mornin', North!"

"And you should be sleeping," North pointed out.

Returning to the chair he had vacated shortly before North hastily ordered him out, the pooka dropped into it like a sinking stone. Leaning back and draping an elbow over his tired eyes, he huffed, "Mate, if Ah can't even paint eggs, how d'ya expect me ta sleep?!"

Santa picked up his chisel and began tapping away at the block of ice in front of him. He paused for a moment and replied, "Sandy can help you." 

Peeking out from beneath his arm, Aster told him, "Ah don't  _want_  Sandy ta help me. Ah need ta be up when Jack gets home."

"You must know we would wake you."

"Ah just want Jack ta be safe!" the pooka stated, sitting forward and staring at the floor as he did so.

Placing his tools on the table, St. Nicholas squatted down before Bunny and stared at him, causing Bunny to look up and meet his eyes. "I know, Old Friend. We are all worried..." he started to say.

Bunny snapped to his feet, knocking North over backwards, and barked, "No, ye're not! If ya were, we'd be out lookin' for 'im by now!"

"Aster, I am going to pretend you did not just say that," North said flatly as he got up from the floor.

Covering his face with his paws, Bunny groaned, "Ah'm sorry. Ah just... Ah can't stand this, North! The last time Ah let mah Mate outta mah sight this long..."

He was startled out of his melancholy by a thick hand grasping his chin and forcing his face up to meet ice-blue eyes. " _NO! Do not do this to yourself!_ " North commanded. Releasing him, he continued, "Bunny, Jack is not Lyra. He is strong and he is smart. He has snow globe to get home if he needs it."

But Bunny was too worried to accept that right now. Yes, Jack was strong, but Pitch was stronger and Jack was late. "Then why isn' 'e here already? 'E can use the snow globe at any time, right? Why doesn' 'e just come home?!"

"Because Jack does not  _like_  to use snow globes, Bunny. Any more than  _you_ do. Now..." North explained, forcing Bunny back into the chair and handing him an egg and one of his brushes, "Sit. Paint."

With a skeptical look at the egg, Bunny began to reiterate, "Ah already told ya, North, Ah ca..." only to be interrupted again by North saying, "How do you think Jack will feel if Easter is  _ruined_  again? How do you think he will feel if you  _die_  because you were too busy worrying about  _him_  to paint?"

With a resigned sigh, Bunny answered, "Pretty bloody awful..."

North crossed his arms and asked, "So, what are you going to do?"

"Paint some eggs?"

"Good."

And so, the two of them bent to their individual tasks, Bunny glancing at the clock possibly more than he was actually painting eggs, and they waited and they hoped.

* * *

 

Halfway across the world, Jack was fighting a losing battle against the force of Mother Nature's storm. The rain was vicious. It came down in sheets with nearly the force of a waterfall, knocking Jack out of the sky so frequently that he found himself having to walk quite a bit of the journey, in spite of Wind's efforts to keep him aloft. Hail stones pelted him, some the size of small cars! Worse, the lightning seemed to be actively  _trying_  to fry him, yet he refused to believe that this could be Mother Nature's doing. She couldn't possibly be trying to stop him from getting back to the Pole. Unless the others were right and she was somehow being controlled by Pitch. That was not a thought he wanted to entertain.

More than once, he considered using the snow globe, but it felt like a waste to use it on the rain. It wasn't as if he was in any  _real_ danger of dying and, besides, something in his gut was telling him it would be a bad idea. There was a charge of magic in the air. Dark magic. What if he used it with the intent of returning to the pole and it took him somewhere else instead? No. He would save it for something more extreme than a little rain.

Sending Baby Tooth was also out. She couldn’t fly any better than he could in this mess and, with her diminutive size, would be in far more danger - so he made certain that the fairy remained with him. In spite of her constant complaints that he was preventing her from doing her job.

By the time the storms finally subsided and Jack managed to get back into the air, it was already morning. Morning, and he was hardly any closer to the pole than he had been when he left the Grove. Taking a look around, he tried to gather his bearings. North. It sounded silly, but sometimes Jack had to remember that the  _North Pole_ , truly was to the north. Now if he could just figure out which way that was... Considering the time of day, the sun would be in the east - finding that it was too his  _left,_ Jack was dismayed. If the sun was on his left, he'd been going  _South._ He'd been going the  _wrong way!_  Somehow, he had gotten turned around in the storm. How long had he been going this way? Where was he?

Flying higher, he looked down upon the landscape for anything familiar. He could see a coastline and, near it - in the ocean - a long dark strip which stretched far into the distance beneath the water. "Oh, no," he groaned. "No, no, no! The Great Barrier Reef?!" He gaped at Baby Tooth, who sat once more on his shoulder. "We're over Australia?!" Baby Tooth chirped at him then and he was forced to agree. "Alright, Baby Tooth. Be quick. And tell the Mother Hen I'm fine!" He watched Baby Tooth zip off at top speed to report to the Pole. Then, with a curse at himself, he called out a whoop to the Wind, asking her to guide him, and with that he was finally on his way.

This turn of events did not please the grey being. The storm should not have  _stopped!_ How was the doll-girl challenging his control? It should have been absolute. Ah, but he was forgetting just who it was that he now threatened to crush in his hand. "Another storm! NOW!" a breath later, "Do  _not_  lie to me! You are Mother Nature!! One storm cannot drain your power!!!" he roared in answer to her silent rebuttal. But Emily Jane did not reply and he got the feeling that, could she have done so, she would have been smirking at him. The infuriated being snarled and threw her, heedless of her safety. It was only through sheer luck that she landed on patch of moss and did not shatter.

Pacing the cavern, the being brooded over what to do next. He needed to stop Jack and the fairy, but had not the power to do so. With what little power he'd amassed since his defeat last year so wrapped up in subjugating Mother Nature, he could perhaps stop one of them, but not both. In the end, he determined that the fairy would be the most logical target, her being faster and likely to reach the Pole first. How to stop her, though?

He couldn't very well follow her, or even send his minions, flying in full daylight as she was. Such an attempt would be folly for he and his were creatures of shadow and must shun the sun. A whinny caught his attention then and the twisted smile returned to his face as he caught sight of his one remaining Nightmare. Approaching the black beast, who shimmered with oily rainbows in the dim light, he ordered, "Ah, Onyx! I have a job for you. One of those miniature..," he paused, putting his hands together and flapping his fingers to mime a fairy, "Toothianas is in quite a hurry to get to the Pole. I would like you to..," he snapped closed his fingers like a bear trap. "...detain her." With a high-pitched squeal of assent, the Nightmare was off like a shot to do its King's bidding.

Baby Tooth was entirely unaware of her pursuer as she sped toward the pole, wings beating as never before. She was getting close now. Dried and parched Japan shot by, a short flight later, the ocean gave way to Russia, who's northern regions were abnormally green. Just as she caught sight of her first glimpse of white, that was when it happened. One second she was flying, the next she was crashing into a translucent black curtain of stolen sand. Panicked chirping issued from the belly of the beast as it flew home with its captive, Jack's message effectively intercepted.  

* * *

 

Six twenty five at night. He hadn’t meant for it to take so long, but that was the exact moment that Jack arrived back at the pole. Upon seeing the magnificent castle that was North’s Workshop, he wondered what the others were doing. Surely they were going to give him an earful.., surely they were going to be mad. He knew of a certain pooka who would be. Thank MiM he'd sent Baby Tooth ahead. At least Bunny would know he was alive and well. At least he wouldn't be worried...

Jack stopped midair. Bunny. He’d promised him a decision when he came back, and yet the whole time he was gone Jack hadn’t put an ounce of thought into what he was going to say. “What do I say to him?” he wondered aloud - but he had no answer to that. He hadn't decided. Was it even a decision? Like it or not, he was _already married_  to the pooka. It was done - happened - the past.  _Husband_ , North had said... but then, Bunny had given him the option to refuse.

Hesitation kept the sprite hovering in place as he mulled it over in his head. Husband. The word put a smile on his face, but could he really tie himself for eternity to another. Husband, Mate, lover... Part of him was certain he could be those things for Bunny, but another part was still unsure - still afraid to commit himself to someone... who may just be using him to replace someone else. What if that wasn't the case, though? What if, even though Bunny was clearly still hurting over his previous Mate's loss, he didn't think of Jack as her replacement at all? What if he could ease that pain? It took a thread from heaven to mend a broken heart, and Jack didn’t know if Bunny’s could ever heal… but he damn well wanted to try.

So what if they were married? It wasn’t as if Jack wanted to spend his life with anyone else. He hadn’t gone into this relationship planning to break up, and he didn’t  _want_ to break up. He wanted to be with Bunny, but if that meant being married... could he still? Why shouldn't he? He might have been damp from the rain, but his feelings hadn’t been rinsed off. He was in love with Bunny - technically  _married_  to Bunny. Maybe he could get used to it? Jack's thoughts continued to circle this way, like a broken record which skipped haphazardly from one song to the next, as he warred with himself over what to say.

Meanwhile, within the Workshop, Bunny was miserable. It was six thirty.  _Six thirty_  in the bloody  _evening_ and Jack  _still_ wasn't back yet! His ears swiveled and he leapt to the window through which Jack had left. For perhaps the thousandth time, he peered out at the cloudless sky, thinking he had heard some small sound that may have indicated the return of his missing lover but, as with every other time, the skies were clear... nothing more than a sparrow or two.

The carpet beneath the pooka's feet, where he'd been pacing since roughly ten that morning, was beginning to show signs of wear. The egg in his paw, one of only forty seven he'd managed to paint all night, sported an incredibly accurate portrait of Jack, enchanting smile and all, decorating its shell. Bunny hadn't even been aware he'd been painting the teen until North pointed out that a winter sprite probably wasn't the best thing to paint on something intended for a spring holiday. At that point, Bunny had finally given up on painting eggs and begun pacing in the globe hall. He'd been there ever since.

Another sound and he was back at the window again. Just those same sparrows, now sitting on the window sill. He almost returned to pacing... almost. Rather than that, Bunny  _froze_. Something was wrong with this picture... Sparrows? At the  _Pole?!_  That couldn't be right... but there they were, serenely preening as if nothing were amiss. Was it truly getting so warm that sparrows could survive in the  _arctic?_  North needed to know about this... but Bunny was reluctant to leave his post at the window. He glanced at the clock again. Six forty four. Jack was so incredibly late, but this was important news.

The pooka hesitated only a moment longer and then rushed from the room, passing Sandy, who was headed in the opposite direction.

Cautiously, Jack peered into the globe chamber through the very window he'd left from. Good. No Bunny anywhere in sight. If he was going to surprise the pooka, he would have to be stealthy. True, he could have come in through the front door, but slipping into the workshop unannounced was impossible. He had tried. Slipping in without the declaration of horns and confetti and elves playing drums? That was easier. Which was why he had chosen the window. He knew full well that North wouldn't lock him out. Not when Bunny had probably been driving him nuts for a day and a half.

Six forty five, now. Six forty five as he quietly pulled the window back. It didn’t squeak, but it did catch the attention of a certain Sandman, who waved at him enthusiastically then flashed an image of Bunny with an exclamation point over his head. Jack put a finger to his lips as he slipped inside. He didn't want Bunny to know he was back yet. A second later a draft came in after him, rattling the windows and sweeping out into the Workshop before he could shut it out.

 _Shit,_  Jack thought ineloquently. Knowing he now wouldn’t have much time to explain before he was lectured by an irate rabbit, he propped his staff up against the wall and whispered urgently, “I didn’t mean to take so long..."

Bunny pelted down the hall, achy muscles protesting every stride, intent on telling North about the birds and returning as fast as possible but, halfway to North's office, he heard it... the faintest creak of ancient hinges... then a rattling sound... a soft, cool breeze wafting by... and on it was carried the telltale scent of...

"...Jack..." Bunny's voice was only a whisper. Scarcely able to believe his nose, he sniffed at the air... pricked his ears... Another rattle and then a  _voice_... barely audible... one he was beginning to think he may never hear again...  _Jack?_

He forgot all about the birds.

Turning back, Aster crept cautiously down the hall, as though Jack would fly away again if he made even the tiniest sound. Half-expecting that he'd been hearing things again, he paused just out of sight of the window.

"...it was raining like you wouldn't believe! I couldn’t fly! And the lightning…”

The hushed voice was still speaking... but, no matter how quiet, Bunny would know that voice anywhere. He swallowed and took another step, bringing into view the most beautiful sight he had seen in a thousand human lifetimes. Standing there, the light of the window framing his figure, wearing those  _incredibly_  flattering clothes, stood Jack. He was explaining his prolonged absence to Sandy, but Bunny found he didn't care about that right now. There would be time to yell at him later. At the moment it didn't matter. Every fiber of his being vibrated with joy and relief, he switched from foot to foot anxiously, muscles tensing, ears erect...  Jack was back. It was really him.  _Jack_...

“Yeah! So anyway when I got there I - Oomph!”A grey  _blur_  suddenly came out of nowhere and tackled Jack, rolling in mid-air so that he landed on top of something large, soft and very warm. That something folded itself around the teen, nearly completely enveloping him and Jack began to laugh. He had expected many things of Bunny upon his return, but not to be tackle-hugged. His laughter only intensified when he felt the tickle of fur against his face, and the strongest winter spirit wrapped his arms tightly around his Mate.

A faint trace of tears once again dampened the fur around Bunny's eyes, but this time they were tears of joy. Jack was home. His precious, beautiful, one-of-a-kind Jack had returned unharmed. And so he just stayed like that for a while - feeling Jack's chilly body against his own, taking in his scent, listening to his breathing and the beating of his heart. "Welcome home, Snowflake," he sniffled quietly at last, "Ah missed ya."

“No kidding?" Jack chuckled. "I missed you, too.” Jack was still fighting off burbles of laughter as he pushed Bunny’s head back so he could kiss him properly. He held the pooka’s face tight in his hands, fingers anchored in the fur of his cheeks and forced his tongue between his lips, deepening the kiss into something far better than just a little peck on the lips.

Laying on his back, with Jack on top of him, laughing like a buffoon... there was a time when Bunny would have shoved him off, called him a string off curse words and walked away grumbling about crazy frost sprites who can't stand to just leave him alone to work - had that really been only a few days ago? Now, Jack's laughter was like music to Bunny's ears, his kiss -  _euphoria_. Aster responded in kind, relishing in the relief that it brought him.

Jack pulled his mouth back and rested his forehead against Bunny’s, letting out a sigh as he did so. “Do you feel better?” he whispered and rubbed his nose against Bunny’s. “I was worried about you. I thought you’d work yourself up and make yourself more sick than you already are… And before you go off on a tangent of blah blah you can take care of yourself blah…"

"Ah'm feelin' a lot better now that  _ye're_  home," Aster spoke over him in his excitement, followed by, " _You_  were worried!" and "Ah  _can_ take care'a mahself!" So wrapped up in his jubilation and his fervor to answer was he, that the rabbit-man almost missed the rest of Jack's sentence. So it was that Bunny became momentarily as a statue when reached his ears, the words, "I really think that, as your  _husband,_  I am entitled to worry about you.”

Jack tilted his head to kiss the statuesque alien's nose, and then he chuckled again. “And I probably always will.”

 


	24. In Which A Red Light Stops More Than Cars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack is home and he and Bunny are officially married, but the honeymoon will have to wait. Baby Tooth is missing and planning must be done... What are they to do about Mother Nature? Can Easter succeed? And what could be wrong with the Globe of Believers?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:
> 
> \- I'm am so so so so so incredibly sorry it has taken me so very long to get this chapter out. Between the upheaval in my life at the moment as well as the multiple health issues I'm not going to bore you by listing, it has been very hard to find the time to work on this. Things are hopefully calming down a bit, so I should be able to work on things more often now. (I hope) Thank you for your patience with me and please enjoy (and review) the latest chapter of Global Warming. ^_^
> 
> \- The Guardians of Childhood; Rise of the Guardians and all characters involved belong to their respective copyright holders. I make no claim to these characters and make no money from this story.

 

* * *

"Husband..." It had been so quiet. Said in such a way that Jack knew for certain only the big bunny ear so near his mouth could pick up on such a quiet affirmation, the breath against that ear almost louder than the words themselves, but that was what he'd said. It wasn't that he wanted it to be a secret, of course. The teen simply wanted to give Bunny the privilege of being the first to know that he had 'accepted'.

Not shy at all about using Bunny as a full body bed, Jack stretched out and laid his head against him... and his eyes went wide with shock. He couldn't hear a heartbeat! Where was the strong, steady rhythm he had become so accustomed to hearing over the last few days? Had he just given the pooka a heart attack? His eyes flicked up to the rigid countenance above him, looking for signs of life. His pupils were blown, his nostrils were flared and his whiskers were nigh unto quivering. Ok. Not dead. Not yet anyway.

"Bunny? You ok, Cottontail? C'mon, say something."

Relief flooded him as the rhythm he'd expected resumed, although far more rapid than normal and Bunny's mouth still didn't move.

In fact, it wouldn't move. It had been working just fine, right up until the word  _'husband'_  slipped past Jack's lips. All of a sudden, he couldn't speak. Aster barely even dared breathe. ~ _Husband... Husband..?~_  Did that mean what he thought it did? Did it mean... Had he really... Had Jack  _actually_  accepted?

It took a minute for it to sink in fully, during which Jack shifted atop him, a foot casually kicking the air and eyes glittering like undisturbed snow. A stunned smile slowly made progress from the corners of Bunny's mouth to the center and up from there to his eyes, till his entire face was alight with it. ~ _He said husband!_ ~ his mind squealed at him. Thankfully, what came out of him was a much more controlled and dignified, yet barely audible, "Really?"

"Yes, really," Jack replied, expression full of genuine happiness. He  _knew_  that come time for him to explain what had happened in his absence, the other guardians would scold him for being so late, but for now, he was just happy to be 'home', and to lay on Bunny like this - like he owned him - and to whisper, "I love you, Aster."

Like someone had pressed play on a paused video, animation suddenly returned to the rabbit-man. "Ha hah! Ah love ya too, Mate!" he cheered. Laughing, loud and strong, he squeezed Jack tight again. Then, unable to resist the urge to roll, just a  _little_ , he rocked them both in his joy, bending his waist a bit from one side to the other, effectively thrashing in slow motion.

Peels of tittering laughter drifted up from the sprite as he was swung around, simply enjoying the jubilation of the moment. He was happy, Bunny was happy - they were married... and Bunny was making him feel as if he were riding a giant snake in his enthusiastic writhing. Wasn't that reason enough to be laughing?

He was not the only one who found the whole thing amusing. A hearty chortle and the, "Eh hem!" of North clearing his throat caught his attention and Jack nudged Bunny to halt his gyrations.

Oh...  _right_. They weren't  _alone_  were they? Glancing in the direction the sounds had come from, Aster found they had a rather amused _-_ looking audience and had the good sense to be abashed. "Uh... G'day, mates," Bunny greeted with a sheepish smile and a furious blush spreading across his cheeks.

"If you are done sweeping the floor with your back, we would like to welcome him home as well," North chuckled, indicating himself and Sandy.

Truly, Bunny was disinclined to release Jack just yet but, with people watching them, he couldn't very well continue his rather embarrassing antics, and so, first whispering, "Ah'm takin' out a rain check on this," he opened his arms to allow Jack to stand. Of course, the devious sprite had to go and give him a quick scratch under the chin and he forgot himself again, leaning into the touch, a moan of pleasure escaping him, sole thumping the floor a few times before his brain registered what his foot was doing and he swatted his Mate's hand away. "...the  _Hell_ , Mate!" he grumped as he pushed Jack off and got to his feet, although he still sported an ear to ear grin. Nothing on Earth would dampen his spirits right now.

For once in his very long life, Bunny felt secure. He wasn't worried about losing Jack, at least for now. He knew Jack loved him and he knew Jack could handle himself in ways Lyra never could. Jack was not Lyra and Aster was just starting to come to grips with that fact. Just because he was Bunny's Mate, that did not mean his husband would suffer the same fate his wife had.

Bunny was drawn out of his musings as North swept Jack off of his feet, gave him a back-cracking bear hug and kissed his cheeks. "Welcome home, Jack! Is good to have you back!" He nearly told North not to kiss his Mate, but then he remembered that this was a Russian thing. They just tended to kiss cheeks like most gave hugs. Since there was nothing sexual or even romantic involved in the gesture, the Pooka let it slide.

He did not, however, let slide North's next comment of, "Now maybe  _Mother Hen_  here can get back to his eggs...", which he whispered behind a hand cupped over Jack's ear.

Either St. Nick had forgotten how sensitive Aster's ears were or he was only pretending to try to hide it. Either way, he was heard quite readily. "C'mon, mate! Ah wasn't  _that_  bad!"

" _'Not that bad'_ , he says. Sandy, show Bunny what he  _looked_ like last two days!"

In a rare demonstration of his martial arts skills, the Pooka chopped the half-formed sand image from the air above Sandy's head before it could fully take its intended shape and did it with such speed that no one saw his hand move. Just the sand  _exploding_  all over the floor. "Ah don't think  _Jack_  needs ta see that, North," Bunny irritably pointed out.

"Oh, yes. You may have point..." North conceded.

Jack gave his new husband a funny look as he squatted down to quickly wrap his arms around the Sandman as well. There was obviously something Bunny was not telling him but, though his curiosity was piqued, he wasn't given the chance to ask.

"Speakin'a which... Mate, what took ya so bloody long at Mother Nature's place? Ah mean, ya were over eighteen hours late! What the Hell kept ya an extra eighteen hours!" Bunny griped and strode to where he could stand before Jack. "Ya had me  _scared_   _stiff,_  Snowflake! Fer the love'a MiM, don' ever be that late again!"

"I was looking around for… a while." Jack frowned as he responded, "I don't really know why it took so long…" The thought made him his brow wrinkle in confusion. "I don't… remember what I was doing. I only remember looking at… her room, and a mirror… Looking for signs of a struggle..."

North raised a concerned voice. "Jack… you cannot remember?" he asked.

He shook his head and pushed a hand through his hair. "No… It was hours - dark by the time I left - but I don't remember." He frowned. "I was a little distracted by the crowd..." he supposed. The only other option was that someone, or something, had made him forget, or kept him there. He didn't like that option.

"Crowd?" Bunny tilted his head in confusion. Mother Nature /hated/ crowds. The idea of her grove crowded was a little hard to picture.

"That's the only part I can remember clearly. The crowd! You know how I wanted to make sure Mother Nature was okay? It wasn't just me. It was _every_  seasonal spirit. All of us! All together at once! Well, except for you, Aster... but I don't think that's ever happened before." He stood back up and took a few paces forward. "They're all going to do their best to keep the earth cool - but you were right. Mother Nature is gone. No trace of her at all, not even any signs of a struggle. She's just  _gone_  and her grove is dying."

The news that Mother Nature was missing was concerning to Bunnymund - to  _all_  of them. That meant that they had guessed correctly as to why the Earth was heating up and they could do  _nothing_  to stop it until she was found. Even though there were no signs of a struggle, it also meant she must have been taken by  _force_. Mother Nature loved the Earth and she loved her grove, just as Bunny loved his warren. If not only her grove, but the  _entire world_ , was ailing, she very well could be dead for all they knew - and that did not bode well.

Just then, a high-pitched cry of joy heralded the arrival of Toothiana, who immediately wrapped herself around Jack, spinning him for a loop in her enthusiasm. "OH! Sorry, Baby Tooth!" she squeaked in dismay, looking down at Jack's pocket, which she had just flattened.

Alarm bells began tolling in Jack's head as Tooth peeked into his pocket and a look of confusion and concern washed over her face. "Baby Tooth? You mean she isn't here?!" he asked, glancing from one Guardian to the next.

Four sets of eyes registered shock and distress at Jack's startled question.

"No, Jack.  _Should_  she be?" North questioned, although the answer was fairly clear.

Jack blinked owlishly at them. "I sent her ahead of me... to tell you I was alright." Well, that explained their worry over his late arrival.

"She never got here..." Tooth revealed, concern and anger overwhelming her features. "GIRLS!" she cried to her entourage of fairies, "Your sister is missing! Gather as many of you as you can and find her!" With a squeak of assent, the six mini-Tooth's zipped away immediately on their appointed task, while their mother stared forlornly at the empty airspace they'd left, her initial anger having faded to worry.

With a decidedly repentant expression, Jack could do naught but watch and apologize, but his apology felt weak in light of the loss. He had known sending Baby Tooth was a bad idea, yet he'd done so anyway and now they all paid the price. ~Great job, Jack,~ he told himself, ~There you go making a mess of things again.~

Ever perceptive, Tooth patted him on the shoulder as she said in reassurance, "She was doing her job, Jack. This isn't your fault. Okay?"

"She's right, Mate. An' don't worry, the fairies'll find 'er. Ya'll see."

"Is best we can do for now, I am sorry to say. Most important thing right now is to find Mother Nature," North reminded them. Then, stroking his beard in thought, he asked, "How _do_  we find her?"

"We find Pitch." They had absolutely no idea where to look, but Bunny was convinced that,  _if_ she still lived, she was with Pitch, wherever he was.

"You are _certain_  it is him?"

Bunny, who was idly combing his finger through Jack's hair, picked a small stick out, turning it over in his paw for a moment, he then sniffed it, eyes going  _wide_. "Ah told ya before, Ah  _know_  it's him," he reaffirmed, flicking the stick at North one-handed.

North caught the stick easily without even looking and raised an eyebrow at the Pooka.

"That  _reeks_  of Pitch," Bunny informed the others.

So it was true. 

Tooth soon asked the question that plagued all of their minds, "Then how do we find  _him_?"

Bunny pondered this.. or rather, attempted to, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Jack. Their lives had changed so much over the past few days and yet Bunnymund couldn't imagine his life any other way now. How quickly Jack had wormed his way under his skin... into his  _heart._  Or had it really been quickly at all? They had been friends for close to five years before that stupid blizzard and Bunny had been harboring these feelings for at least the last year of that time, then buried them for the next  _forty six_. Really, if you  _thought_  about it, it had been exceptionally long in coming. It was a good thing they were practically immortal or they may have  _died_ before actually admitting their feelings.

Thinking back to the blizzard made him think of Easter. He still had a great many eggs to finish and only three days to do it in. This was so  _familiar_  to Bunny that it felt like deja vu, but he  _refused_  to let things fall apart this year. There  _had_  to be a way to get the eggs finished and delivered even if they  _couldn't_  find Mother Nature in time. Jack had said that his powers were weakened, but what if there was a way to  _boost them?_  That thought brought an idea to mind, "Maybe we don't  _have ta_..." Aster speculated, "Ah'm bettin' Pitch wants ta see us suffer for last year. If Easter succeeds, it just might draw 'im out."

" _If_ it'sPitch," Jack said pointedly.

"Oh, trust me. It's Pitch alright," Bunny assured Jack, thinking back on that nightmare he'd had before Jack left on his over-long excursion, a shudder coursing through him. He slipped a paw around his Mate's hand, just to reassure himself. "With the dreams Ah've been havin'…"

"Yes, Bunny. I know," North interjected, "We do not need specifics." Aster had already told him, in great and disturbing detail, about the horror show Pitch had forced him to endure.

"Ya really think Ah'm gonna go inta detail about  _that_  right now? Mate, that dream aint somethin' Ah wanna share with  _everyone!_ Ah only told ya as much as Ah did cause Ah wanted ta.. GAH! It doesn' matter!" Aster asserted, throwing his hands up in frustration. "What  _does_  is that Pitch has Mother Nature, he must be forcin' 'er ta turn up the heat somehow an' we've gotta stop 'im."

"Then we need to  _focus on Easter_. Kids need Easter." Bunny needed Easter, and Jack meant to be certain it happened.

"Dah." North agreed, "Jack is right. We need _to make Easter a success._ "

"That's what Ah was  _just_  sayin'!" the exasperated pooka huffed.

Jack turned to face his husband, poking him square in the chest. "So Aster? How about those eggs. You had a lot to paint last time I checked. If we can lure Pitch out of hiding just by bringing a big, beautiful, egg-filled Easter, then we have a lot of work to do. And I promise not to paint too many snowflakes on them."

Bunny took the offending finger which had poked him in his paw and frowned down at Jack. "If ya poke me  _again_ , Ah'm gonna break yer finger, Mate," he muttered, only half-joking.

Jack raised his eyebrow at the Pooka. "If you break my finger I'll freeze your 'rabbit junk' right off." He warned in a quieter tone than earlier.

"No ya won't. Ya like my 'rabbit junk' too much fer that," Bunny purred back quietly into Jack's ear, eliciting a smirk from the shorter man. Then, casting his gaze around at the assembled Guardians he said, "Ah don't have mah warren ta help get the eggs done in time. That means we got three days ta paint about eight thousand googies  _by hand! An'_ we gotta figure out how Ah'm gonna hide 'em without  _passin' out_ five houses in."

"What about your tunnels?" North suggested, "If we could keep them chilled, you could cool off between houses…"

"No good, mate. It's warm enough here that we got sparrows showin' up. Ah don't even wanna think about how hot it must be in the temperate zones. Or worse, down by the equator."

Santa stepped closer, and asked, "What did you just say?"

"The equator, mate. Ya must know what tha…"

"Not that," North dismissed, "You said you saw  _sparrows?!"_

"Oh, that. Ah meant ta tell ya about that…" Bunny began, rubbing the back of his neck in his chagrin.

"You should have told me sooner," North scolded the rabbit.

But Bunny was no longer listening. He was  _staring_  at the globe, a look of shock and horror on his face. Turning to see what had caused the Guardian of Hope to look so dismayed, he was met with a sight that made his heart sink. Before his eyes one of the lights, close to the equator, had turned red and then slowly faded to darkness. Then another… and, a moment later, a third. Light after light was changing color, then being snuffed out.


End file.
